The Quest for True Happiness
by Scullyk
Summary: The search for true happiness is a deceiving journey. As Emma travels to the underworld with Regina and Rumple she has to uncover her real motivations for trying to be a savior again and she must discover what truly lies in her heart. Story picks up after winter finale when leaving for the underworld. This is my version of how I wish the story would play out.SwanQueen is endgame
1. Prologue

_The search for true happiness is a deceiving journey. As Emma travels to the underworld with Regina and Rumple she has to uncover her real motivations for trying to be a savior again and she must discover what truly lies in her heart. Story picks up after winter finale when leaving for the underworld. This is my version of how I wish the story would play out. SwanQueen is endgame. Story will progress to M rating._

Hi guys! So I feel somewhat disappointed with the direction the winter finale storyline is headed towards. I've been debating for some time now whether or not I would write what I think should happen. Thus, here is a little snip bit of where I would love to see the story go. It is ultimately a SwanQueen pairing and if I continue to write this it will be a slow burn. I will keep canon at the beginning because I am basically just writing my idea of how I wish the story would continue. These first chapters will likely be rated T but future chapters will definitely jump to rating M. Let me know if you guys think I should continue writing this? If you love it or hate it? Reviews, comments, and pm's are always welcome and greatly appreciated. If you guys like it and wish me to continue with my kooky idea I will probably have a beta to make sure I don't make a thousand mistakes.

 **Disclaimer** : The characters of Once Upon a Time unfortunately do not belong to me nor do I have any legal affiliation to the show. I am simply borrowing these awesome characters to create a fictional story for entertainment purposes only. Thank you!

The Quest for True Happiness

Prologue

Emma Speaks:

For a second I sensed magic. It always begins the same. I feel it pulse in my gut like a scratching rat, the same way I feel a lie. It then takes over all of me, directly springing from my solar plexus out towards my extremities; descending all at once through my spine as if crawling through my veins until it pools at the tips of my fingers where I can feel a spark. A crack that begs for release like a firecracker being held back from the sky. I felt magic for a second. I involuntarily squinted my eyes and felt my body tense as I braced myself for the rage of the wind. I heard the violent howl and the sound of bodies hitting the ground. I half opened my eyes wondering why I was still standing in the lake looking into the fog. Selfishly taking a sigh of relief for as many times as I've been thrown by magic, I will never get used to being hauled through the air like a rag doll.

My father is trying to stand while simultaneously helping my mother. Robin Hood and Henry are down by the shore looking disoriented. The only people standing are Regina, myself and Rumplestiltskin. Regina immediately runs to Henry. The only emotion I am capable of feeling lately is anger. I'm not even trying to control it.

"What happened?" I direct said anger at Gold.

"I'm not sure. It seems only those who possess magic are granted access."

"Well then do something!"

"I cant." Gold fires back at me.

I don't believe him. I will never believe him ever again. Lie detector or not I know what it is to be the dark one. I was him yesterday. That intoxicating feeling that you can do whatever, whenever, and however with whomever you want in order to achieve your endgame is riveting and because you know you are the dark one, justifying. It was a constant scheming and manipulation to get what you want; never having to explain yourself to anyone because you are the great and mighty. No one calls the shots but you. Who could possibly stop you? There is no confession to be had, for no one will ever imagine what runs through your mind. None will ever have to know what you know. You can do anything with anyone at anytime practically anywhere and any which way you choose and it dies with you, if that is what pleases you. The thoughts that raged through me every minute of everyday would drive a normal person insane. Undoubtedly would destroy me now. But... I remember. I can still taste the power. This force albeit evil, made me feel like a god. Gold has felt like a god for who knows how many decades. If there is one thing I have learned, never trust a demi-god.

"What's your game Gold?" I see red; I begin to charge him.

He offers that sneaky smug smile of his, "I have no game dearie. But the boat is almost here and I can promise you death waits for no one."

"Emma!" My mother grabs my arms turning me to look at her. She has tears in her eyes and I see so much pain. "Go Emma. Save him. If this is who you want its alright."

She lets her tears freely fall as she pulls me into a crushing embrace. I feel my father wrap his strong arms around both of us. My mother whispers so only he and I can hear her, "Just come back to me."

My eyes are now stinging with unshed tears I am trying to control. It seems only when I'm about to die or turn to darkness that I can find it within myself to say how I feel. "I love you, both."

I turn my attention to Henry realizing Regina is having words with him.

"But I can help you guys. I am the author."

"Who turned in his pen." I interrupt. "And for a good reason."

"But Ma!"

"Henry I'm running out of time. I would love nothing more than to have you by my side but its just not possible." Inwardly, I rejoice that Henry will be in Storybrooke and hopefully out of harms way.

"Besides, I feel much better knowing my son is amongst the living and not in the underworld with us." Regina half smiles at him trying to make him feel better.

He turns back to her, "But when we went to the Enchanted Forest..."

She interrupts him, "You were my hero! Without you we would have all been lost. That's why I'm leaving you in charge of the town." She locks eyes with Mary Margaret who gives her a look of understanding. "Henry you have seen me run this place since you were born. Help your grandparents. Keep this place sane for me. Can you do that?"

He jumps in Regina's arms, "Yes mom. Take care of each other." He looks at me when he says this.

"Thank you for understanding kid." I quickly embrace him as I see Regina and Robin exchange a strange look. He looks down with his hands in his pockets and tells us to, "Stay safe."

Gold is waiting on half route to the boat as Regina and I start to make our way.

"Regina you don't have to do this."

"I know." She gives me her signature look that says 'don't question me any further' as she tries to hide the kindness in her eyes. I always feel braver knowing Regina is on my team. Especially now, where we are headed, it eases my mind having her with me. I feel confident because of my trust in her. I'm not sure when I made the transformation from giving her a true chance for Henry's sake to coming to rely on her; trusting her wholeheartedly. It's ironic how Regina and I slipped into a friendship after so much animosity. We have been through so much together. We have hit so many emotional levels in our relationship; somehow always being the unyielding presence in each other's lives. The dark and the light, the right and the wrong and back again. Reversing our own circumstance and bringing the other a direct balance even when that balance required opposition. Its always been difficult for me to believe in other people. Yet here I walk with my former sworn enemy in awe at the realization that I trust her with my life. We have a unique relationship. We've never had to "save face" or pretend with one another. Perhaps it is this fine balance that has created our mutual trust. I almost smile, almost.

My father hands me his sword and looks at Regina, "Take care of each other."

We both nod our heads like obedient children and make our way into the cold lake again; walking carefully and trying not to fall as we approach the dark boat.

The fog is lifting as we tepidly approach the skiff. The closer we get the more I can smell a stench I barely recognize. The air feels colder, sharply hitting my face, and it smells of infected wound. I can make out a dark figure at the front of the rusted skiff wearing a moth eaten cloak. It appears to be holding a scythe. I can't make out eyes nor a mouth  
but the stench grows stronger as we approach it. I hear Regina's breath hitch as we catch our first glimpse of who I believe may be the grim reaper.


	2. Chapter One

Thank you all for the reviews and pm's! I'm very happy you are enjoying the story. Please keep reviewing! I love to know your thoughts!

Chapter one,

Regina Speaks:

Regina feels the too familiar burst of magical wind and finds almost everyone thrown upon the shore. Her eyes search out Henry as her feet are propelling her towards him. She feels immediate relief at seeing he is unscathed, releasing a breath she didn't realize she was holding.

"Henry." She smiles warmly as her brow furrows with concern for her son as she and Robin help him up.

"I'm ok." Henry looks behind her caught up with Emma's conversation. Sometimes she feels no matter how hard she tries, Henry's un-daunting fascination will always lie with Emma. She felt loved by her son indubitably. But it seemed as though Emma would always be like a brand new bright penny in his life. Regina didn't enjoy giving this so much thought. It made her chest clench in pain whenever she noticed. She knew logically that a boy who finally got to share his life with his biological mother would always be intrigued by her. Never mind his mother happens to be Emma Swan; Savior to her curse, a white knight birthed of "fairytale characters." Emma, who allows him chocolate behind Regina's back. Emma, who lets him stay up late to finish his comic books or God knows what. Emma, who always did a fantastic job of incorporating fun into his life; into her life as well. She had to admit that before Emma came into this town her life felt black and white. Regina inwardly smiles and she thinks of how Emma Swan let the color back in. That would be a great way to describe her...messy and colorful. The truth was now that they were friends she was no longer jealous. a bit hurt at times but she understood. Emma brought life into an otherwise 'frozen in time' world. She made everyone including herself break the rules but mostly for the right reasons. She's happy the real Emma is back. She feared so much for her soul when she became the dark swan; which she became for her. But that was something else Regina didn't want to think about. All this had happened because Emma saved her. Saved her. She supposed that's what friends do for one another. And that's what they had become..friends. Yet still, it was another train of thought that clenched at Regina's chest like her heart was being squeezed.

"Regina. Are you alright?" It appears as though lately Robin only looks at her with worried eyes.

"Yes I'm fine and you?" 'Isn't it obvious? I'm not a china doll.' She wanted to shout, but she composed herself. ' I wasn't even thrown.' Regina didn't understand why she was angry. Perhaps because she understood she would have to go on another battle alone. Perhaps she was bracing herself for his wrath once he knew what she'd done.

"Regina I can't let you go without me." He holds her soft hands in his calloused ones so gently and looks pleadingly into her eyes. Regina decides not to tell him, almost. She's afraid of hurting the man she loves but he will find out and with her not around he will only assume the worst.

"Robin, listen. I need you to stay here and watch over Roland, Henry and your daughter."

"They'll be alright, we must find a way for me to go with you. Roland is safe with granny and the baby is with her mother."

"She's not. She's with Tinkerbell." Robin looks at her baffled.

"I opened a portal and sent Zelena back to Oz. I'm sorry I didn't tell you but I just couldn't trust her here alone without us..."

"You had no right." Robin looks at her like a disapproving father. Disbelief dancing on his face. Regina never felt such disappointment directed at her from him. She see's something else in his stare...he feels betrayed.

"You don't understand."

He interrupts her as he lets go of her hands. Regina feels the loss of heat immediately.

"That is her mother Regina. We had agreed. I don't understand how you took it upon yourself to send her back to Oz without her daughter and without consulting me."

"Robin, I only meant to protect you and her and when I return I will..."

"I'm going with you mom. I can have magic. I'm the author." A child's timing is always inopportune.

"No Henry. You will do no such thing. You will stay here." Regina knows shes speaking to him like a young child but after her quarrel with Robin she's quickly losing her patience.

"But I can help you guys. I am the author." She is about to read him his rights when thankfully his other parent chimes in.

"Who turned in his pen and for a good reason." Emma looks eyes with her and Henry knows he has lost the battle.

"But Ma!"

"Henry I'm running out of time. I would love nothing more than to have you by my side but its just not possible." I see Emma's panting breath thicken with the nights fog. She looks tired. She's looks beaten.

"Besides, I feel much better knowing my son is amongst the living and not in the underworld with us." I give him my best smile. I know he is worried he will never see his mothers again. I don't know that I wouldn't be fighting any less if I were in his position. I'm so very proud of him. I see in him so much of what I hoped I instilled. I see the best of it. I also see the best of Emma. It's not a bad combination to have. My whole world is Henry. There isn't anything I wouldn't do for him. And now its time to help his other mother.

He turns to me giving me that pleading look he only reserves for desperate requests, "But when we went to the Enchanted Forest..."

"You were my hero! Without you we would have all been lost. That's why I'm leaving you in charge of the town." I realize I need to keep him occupied. He needs to feel like he has control over something. Henry is growing up and I perceive he needs to feel like a man. He truly is my hero and I can't think of a better person to take care of this town.

I lock eyes with Snow who seems to understand exactly what I am doing.

"Henry you have seen me run this place since you were born. Help your grandparents. Keep this place sane for me. Can you do that?"

He knows I believe in him, "Yes mom." He jumps into my arms and I choke back a sob that threatens to escape. I hold him to me like I'm never going to see him again.

"Take care of each other." My prince is no longer a little boy.

"I love you." I whisper to him as to not embarrass him.

"Me too mommy." He whispers back.

Emma embraces him and tells him that she loves him. I look at Robin who refuses to make eye contact with me. I may never see him again and he didn't even let me finish. And he's not taking me into his arms and proclaiming how much he loves me. My heart is broken but I'm also fuming.

"Stay safe." If thats all he has to offer then silence is all he's going to get. I don't have time for this.

I walk away; determined as ever to get this done. Except what the hell are we actually going to do and how am I going to do this?

"Regina you don't have to do this." Emma looks at me with fear in her eyes. Does the idiot think I'm actually going to abandon her? Emma needs me that's all I know. Right now we don't have room for insecurity.

"I know." I tell her. I hope this is enough to help her realize I'm here for the long haul.

The Charmings say their goodbyes and we follow Gold's lead towards the boat. The water is freezing and getting colder by the minute. I inwardly chuckle at the irony of literally having cold feet walking towards death. I'll have to magic my shoes dry once we get on that skiff... My train of thought stops as I stand bemused and incredulously shocked when it is upon me. It's not that this creature stands at least eight feat in the air. It's not the stench coming from death's essence, nor the creepy fog. I've seen so many horrid beings in my many years. It is the realization that dawns on me like the stars descend on the night that we are standing in front of death himself asking for passage to go with him. No sane person would ever attempt this.

I hear an eerie voice in my head. It's neither male nor female.

"I AM CHARON. TAKE MY HAND AND I SHALL TAKE THEE TO THE UNDERWORLD."


	3. Chapter Two

_Thank you! Thank you! Thank you so much for your awesome reviews! I hope you guys are enjoying the story so far. I need to thank Farscapecastle for being my very patient and wonderful editor! You have made writing this story so much easier and you have made it a better story already. xoxoxo_

 _Enjoy! And don't forget to review, favorite, or follow. XOXOXO_

Chapter Two

The Journey Begins

"I AM CHARON. TAKE MY HAND AND I SHALL TAKE THEE TO THE UNDERWORLD."

Emma hears the eerie voice in her head and without a thought begins to extend her hand up. Rumple quickly and aggressively grabs Emma's right hand in his left.

"I wouldn't do that dear unless you want to join your pirate in Tartarus permanently." He says the word permanently with inflection. Whenever Gold speaks he likes to pack a punch to drive his meaning in. Emma looks at him with questioning eyes.

"A touch from death will kill you instantly supposing you're not dead already." He smirks and turns to Charon offering him three silver coins in place of Emma's life. Emma doesn't know whether she should be flattered or insulted.

"HA HA HA HA." The voice gets creepier by the minute. Emma was still trying to figure out whether it was more male or female.

"DON'T INSULT ME WITH SUCH FEEBLE OFFERINGS." Emma mentally hears a strange clicking sound when death communicates. It's loud and annoying. She doesn't understand any of this.

Regina and Emma both look at one another each wondering if the other could hear the clicking sound.

Gold lowers his gaze, "This can be doubled if you wish."

"DOUBLED? DOST THOU THINK SIX SILVER COINS ARE THE EQUAL OF THREE HUMAN LIVES FOR TRANSPORT?"

Charon seems irritated. His or her voice hasn't changed much in her head but Emma can feel it's emotions growing stronger. Emma's beginning to panic. Thoughts are racing through her head, 'Fantastic we pissed off death!'

"I beg your forgiveness if we have insulted you." Gold pulls out several gold coins. "Here are six gold coins and an extra two for your trouble of having to bring us back.

"WELL IT SEEMS WE HAVE REACHED AN UNDERSTANDING."

Regina sees death's long arm extend down towards Rumple. The moth eaten cloak pulls back as it does this. Regina can now see what she believes are long, bony fingers. Except upon closer inspection she realizes it's fingers are not bone at all. What appeared to be fingers and a hand are actually a metallic composition of some sort. It's hand looks like moving metals almost like mercury taking different forms as it moves all along its extremity. They also change colors; keeping with the consistency of different metals. Displaying different shades of silver while darkening like titanium, yellow like the gold it's about to receive, and even shades of black. She saw other colors too odd to describe. It's hand looks alive like insects crawling over skin. This gives Regina the chills. She's seen strange demons before but this is unlike anything she has experienced. She wonders if Rumple has ever seen anything like this.

The giant accepts the coins in it's metallic hands and just as Regina is about to breath a sigh of relief it brings the coins towards it's face and chews on them. They can hear the crunching and strange clicks! Regina feels enlightened. The clicks are the metals moving around in it's mouth like a piece of chewing gum. 'That's why the Greeks offered two gold coins by placing them over their deceased one's eyes.' She almost nodded to herself as she understood this. Suddenly, although she couldn't see it's face, a pair of yellow eyes begin to light up like two lanterns by a campfire as it chews its metal.

Charon turns exposing it's metallic hand again inviting them onto his/her skiff. Rumple let's the ladies go first. Emma climbs in and turns, extending her hand to help Regina. Regina normally doesn't appreciate anyone coddling her but part of her appreciates Emma's kind and "gentle- womanly" gesture. She wanted to be annoyed with Emma for thinking she needed assistance, her, the evil queen. But for a brief moment her hand felt warm again. She told herself it was worth accepting the offer if only for that.

Once aboard everyone quickly found a seat. Emma and Regina sat next to each other on a rackety wooden board towards the front and Gold sat on an identical one right behind them. Charon, who's back was the only thing they could all see, began lifting his massive oar at the front of the tiny skiff, preparing to steer away. It was only now sitting on this tiny, rotting, weathered boat that Emma felt the gravity of what they were doing. Of what she had decided to do. She already felt guilt for dragging everyone along and even though she had lost seventy percent of the party they were still three. She was always so sure of herself but this was different. They may never come back. Suddenly, it fully hit her that if something happened to both her and Regina Henry would be an orphan, just like her. Panic sets in and all she can think about is getting Regina off of the boat, "Wait!"

Death stops, looking frozen in time.

"Regina this is a bad idea you gotta get back to the shore."

"I already told you." Regina annoyingly states, "Why is the idiot gene taking over tonight?" Regina was not in the mood for another argument this evening. "I'm going with you..."

"If something happens to both of us Henry will be left alone." Emma's eyes water at the mention of Henry's name. Regina can only imagine how much pain Emma must have gone through growing up without parents. That pain was all her fault. The least she could do was keep her safe in the underworld.

Gold chimes in, "Now is when you think of this dearie?"

"Shut up Gold! Nothing is going to happen to us Emma. This negativity isn't very 'charming-like' of you."

Emma springs up looking down causing the boat to rock a bit, "No Regina I won't drag you..."

"Miss Swan, no one is dragging anyone. As far as I know we all volunteered. Now shut up and sit down before you tip us over!"

Emma sits down unhappily for being treated like a child and for being back to the ridiculous 'Miss Swan' thing.

"Besides who else is going to make sure you don't get yourself killed?" Regina mumbles under her breath.

She cares, Emma knows Regina cares. It touches her deeply that Regina would now risk her life to help her on this mission. It's this very feeling that is torturing her. She mentally chides herself for being so selfish and not putting a stop to this sooner. Saving Hook was her choice. She should have gone at it alone and not risked anyone, especially not Regina. After so much time spent trying to find her happy ending she should have left her to it. Even though the tree-hugging thief she calls "her soulmate" behaved very oddly tonight. If Emma let herself think too much it would piss her off that he didn't seem to care that Regina was leaving...leaving...

Emma looks up to tell Charon to continue when she realizes they are no longer in Storybrook. They are still surrounded by a light fog, but now she see's they steer over open waters; an ocean that seems more like a strange and dark abyss.

"DID YOU REALLY THINK I WOULD LISTEN TO YOUR COMMANDS MORTAL?"

"Where are you taking us?" Emma has no control.

"YOUR DESTINATION IS THE UNDERWORLD. DO NOT ASK WHEN YOU WILL ARRIVE FOR IT HAS NOT TO DO WITH MY OARS. WHEN THE GREAT SHIP OF SOULS YOU SEE YOU SHALL BE CLOSER. BUT BEWARE MY LIVING MORTALS; THIS VOYAGE CARRIES MANY SOULS."


	4. Chapter Three

Chapter Three

Moving conversation

Emma sighs as she stretches her neck lifting her head to look out. She sees nothing but grey ocean. She wonders if they are even moving. In what feels to be at least an hour she has been patiently sitting and waiting. Regina and she have been slightly pressed up against each other, hip to hip, trying to keep warm. Or at least that's what Emma told herself. It only made sense to stay as close as possible to another warm human body. As long as that body didn't involve the asshole formally known as Rumplestiltskin Emma thought. He had moved to the back end of the skiff, presumably to have a better view of his future. Emma was so angry with him. She would forever hate Gold.

Regina was looking towards the grey abyss wondering why she wasn't more upset at Robin's behavior. She took for granted that he was her 'soulmate,' the person Tink said she was meant to be with. Deep down she knew he couldn't stay angry at her for long. As a matter of fact right about now he was probably regretting his actions and wishing he was with her. He was a good man, a great father, and a loyal friend. She enjoyed his company yet she was relieved he couldn't come with her. This thought made her stomach clench into a knot; it frightened her. But she rationalized that having him here meant someone else she would have to look out for. Robin could defend himself against another man and surely he could hunt well but when it came to magical beings he was out of his league. He would most certainly try; in fact he would do anything to defend her but he would always be at risk. Even Henry had a better sense of magic. Then again Henry was her son and Emma's. And although Emma's magic was still highly untrained she was powerful; when push came to shove she always came through. Henry was also, unfortunately, the grandson of Rumplestilkskin.

Emma was going insane with impatience. She turns to Regina, "So what happened back there with Robin?"

This draws Regina out of her own thoughts redirecting her to something she doesn't want to talk about. "Nothing."

'Why? Why can't she be a normal friend and just talk to me?' Emma could count on one hand the number of times Regina had opened up about anything. Then again Emma wasn't exactly an open book but she was no where near as elusive as Regina.

"He looked upset." Emma presses on; his behavior really bothered her; Regina didn't deserve any heat after what she did tonight. Emma didn't like the way he was looking at her. She needed to know what had happened so she could get over being upset about it. She wanted to like the self-righteous sassafras for Regina's sake. Not that Regina was ever very nice to Hook other than tonight. It was she who convinced Hook to cease his plans; Regina saved their lives. But with every encounter Emma had with Robin Hood she found him never to be quite enough. He made cowardly decisions and he simply didn't measure up. At least that's the way Emma felt thus far.

Regina snaps her head at her, "Are we here to talk about my relationship or to rescue your one-handed pirate?" Now she turns her angry attention at death. 'This can't be good' Emma thinks.

"And what, pray tell, may we do to get there faster?" Regina doesn't even try to hold back her sarcasm.

"HA HA HA HA. TALK."

Regina readjusts herself and sits up straighter all Queen-like, if that's even possible, preparing to fire. Emma interjects "So Charon what would you like to talk about?"

"NOT TO ME. TALK TO EACH OTHER."

"Well, I was trying." Emma mumbles to herself.

Regina stands flustered, "This is ridiculous." As she stands she can still feel the squishy sensation of her wet shoes. She forgot to dry them earlier. She immediately attempts rectify the problem. She waves her hand but it doesn't work. She tries again and again but her feet are still wet.

"What are you doing now?" Emma looks up at her baffled.

"Trying to dry my feet."

"Can you do mine while you're at it?"

"I would if only this would actually work." She flicks her wrist over and over more passionately with each attempt.

"YOUR MAGIC DOESN'T WORK HERE."

At this I can feel the weight of the boat shift from the back as Death must now have Gold's attention.

"Magic doesn't work in Tartarus?" Gold's asks.

'"THAT IS NOT WHAT I SAID. MAGIC VARIES IN TARTARUS IF YOU ARE A MORTAL. IN MY PRESENCE NO POWER IS GREATER THAN MINE."

He turns his attention to Emma, "IF YOU WISH TO MOVE TOWARDS FINDING YOUR DEAD FRIEND YOU MUST CLEAR YOUR MIND OF OTHER CLUTTER, BEGIN TO SOLVE YOUR ISSUES." Emma is the only one who notices he looks to her and Regina when he says this.

"We'll never find him." Regina retorts as she sits.

A couple of minutes pass but Regina's comment still has her pissed, "You're one to talk. I don't see you 'solving your issues' and 'clearing your clutter.'"

"This isn't about me this is about you..."

"Oh save it you always have an excuse."

"I don't see how this is going to help." Regina is so frustrated she is willing to give anything a try. She huffs, "I sent Zelena back to Oz."

Emma looks at her expectantly like saying 'that's it?'

"I didn't let her take the baby. Nor did I tell Robin I was planning on doing so."

"Why would you..." Emma is curious but not accusing.

"I am planning to bring her back as soon as we return. I couldn't very well risk her escaping and doing God-knows-what to my town while we're gone."

Emma nods, "I understand."

"If I'd let her take the baby to Oz she would put up a barrier. I wouldn't be able to bring her back and Robin would never see his daughter again."

"Did you tell him this?" Suddenly Emma feels the heat rising in her face again. So much for dissolving her anger.

"He didn't give me the chance. Everyone will always assume the worst of me why should he be any different."

"Because he's your soulmate! And besides he should know you only have his and the child's best interest at heart." What Emma wanted to say was that Robin should be happy to have Zelena no longer agonizing his life. He should rejoice to be free of her if only for a few days. But that would imply he cares for her more than Emma would like to entertain. She opts for the higher ground.

"He knows you wouldn't keep a child away from their mother. He let his lack of control in the matter cloud his better judgment."

"Who could blame him? I tried to keep Henry from you."

"That was different. It was a completely different situation. And you are no longer that person."

Regina looks into Emma's eyes feeling relief that she understands her. It seems sometimes as though Emma is the only person willing to look beyond and not take everything she sees at face value. Even though Robin doesn't know of her intentions Regina feels redeemed through Emma.

Emma feels better now that at least she got Regina to vent. She realizes this whole time she hasn't given much thought to...Clash! The little boat hit something and rocks back throwing Emma on Regina. Emma blushes as she notices her left hand landed on Regina's thigh. She lifts herself quickly but still catches a whiff of Regina's perfume, something flowery, she smells so good.

Regina tries to steady Emma by her right forearm while waving golden curls away from her line of sight. She's all too aware that half of Emma's weight is on her. None the more with Emma's hand riding up her thigh as she's trying to regain her balance. Emma's blushing. 'She shouldn't be embarrassed it's not her fault she landed on me.' Regina notices she keeps her eyes down until they rebound back to their previous seated positions; Emma breathing heavily.

"WE ARE HERE."

Emma looks directly in front of her and sees nothing but a dark brown wall. "Is Tartarus inside?"

"Emma look." Regina pulls her arm and directs her gaze up. Emma follows the massive wall up until it fogs at a height that parallels the Empire State Building.

'WELCOME TO THE SHIP OF THE DAMNED."


	5. Chapter Four

Chapter Four

The ship of the damned

"WELCOME TO THE SHIP OF THE DAMNED."

"Oh my God." Emma's eyes widened to where she felt they would surely pop out of her sockets. "We have to go in there?"

"YES MORTAL. YOU DIDN'T THINK YOU THREE WERE THE ONLY ONES VOYAGING TO TARTARUS DID YOU?

Emma is about interrupt with thoughts racing through her mind with previous notions about the grim reaper.

"YES I CAN BE IN MANY PLACES AT ONCE JUST LIKE YOUR MOVING PICTURES TOLD YOU BUT ALL SOULS WILL END UP ON MY GRAND SHIP. SORRY TO DISAPPOINT YOUR PRIOR MISCONCEPTIONS ESPECIALLY THE ONES WHERE I LOOK LIKE BRAD PITT."

"Brad Pitt?" Regina's perplexed.

Gold chuckles to himself. Death has a sense of humor. Who would have guessed.

Emma side glances Regina; clearly she has never seen Meet Joe Black. She wonders if Regina ever watches any movies?

In the blink of an eye Emma feels a violent gust of wind hitting her body making it difficult to steady herself. She frantically searches around her looking for Regina and Gold. Even though she stands on something solid all she sees is a cloudy grey mist surrounding her. She's convinced she's up in the clouds somehow.

"Emma!" She makes out Regina's figure wobbling towards her while fighting the strong winds.

"Grab onto something!" Regina can barely see Emma as her straining neck fights the winds to return itself to a vertical position as her right ear practically kisses her shoulder from the force.

Emma tries to heed Regina's advice but she can't find anything to get ahold of; she can barely take one step without feeling like she's about to be blown away.

"Over here!" Gold yells out.

Emma hears him but feels blinded by the gusts of wind and the rain that has now decided to descend upon them. She feels the sleeve of her jacket being pulled harshly.

"Move!" Regina yells at her.

Regina is fighting with all her strength to get to that imp for shes' certain he's found something to hold onto. She feels Emma wavering as she battles through the storm in what seems like hours before finally she can make out his graying hair blowing in the wind like a flag to safety.

When they reach him Regina realizes he barely has a grip, wrapping his arms around what may be a giant mast. She pulls Emma to grab onto a rope that's hugging the structure. 'If there is a mast than we must be on the top of the ship. There has to be a mizzen and shrouds, something smaller to hang onto.' If only Regina could figure out which way was the helm. She takes a leap of faith knowing they can't hang on to this massive mast much longer. She lets go and makes her way in the opposite direction of which she came from. She can hear Emma and Gold shouting out at her but soon their voices are lost in the wind. 'Where the fuck is the helm?'

"TSK TSK SO HASTY. DO YOU PLAN ON SAILING THIS SHIP YOURSELF, YOUR MAJESTY?"

"Stop toying with me. You've been paid to deliver us to Tartarus."

"AND DELIVER YOU I SHALL. BUT DID YOU BELIEVE YOU WOULD BE RIDING WITH THE SOULS IN THE HAUL? NO NO MAJESTY THAT IS NOT POSSIBLE FOR REASONS I KNOW YOU CAN UNDERSTAND. MORTAL AND SPIRIT EACH HAVE THERE PLACE; EVEN ON THE SHIP OF THE DAMNED. YOU MUST NOT BE TAINTED."

"Are you trying to get us killed?!" Regina is desperate now. She has no time to analyze 'its' riddles. If only 'it' had an actual voice so she could follow it and find the helm where it surely stands mocking them.

"Cease the winds!"

"I HAVE NO CONTROL OVER THE ELEMENTS; YOU MISTAKE MY POSITION."

Regina is convinced he wants their lives for his insipid collection. She's decided to call it a he since only men are so selfishly self-righteous. Well he can't have them! She fights her way through the storm lowering her body by bending her knees and leaning forward. She keeps her hands in front of her face to provide a shield from the racing rain. She knows she must hurry. It is unpredictable whether the weather will worsen and she's worried Emma and Gold won't be able to hold on much longer. She runs into the gusts as they sway her to the right and then the left. Just when she feels she's gone too far in this direction she see's it; Standing mighty and surrounded by a low shroud of ropes is what she hopes is the mizzen (posterior smaller mast),even the foremast would be a welcome sight. As long as they can find more support. Eyeballing it as she crashes into it she's relieved that this will due. After taking a few deep breaths she hastily turns around and begins to make her way back with deliverance on her mind. The return is difficult but she has a clear mental path of where she needs to go. By the time she reaches them she's exhausted.

"Where the hell where you?!" Emma's knuckles have turned white from gripping onto the rope for dear life.

She can't tell if it's the wind or the cold that has Rumple shaking.

In between catching her breath, "Let go. I found a better place to hold on." She shouts.

Emma immediately loosens her grip and starts to claw her way around the mast following Regina's lead. She pulls on her shoulder, "Wait...Gold's not moving."

"What are you doing?! Let's go!" Regina yells as him but she can only see him shaking his head no.

"I can't. I can't let go." Emma can hear what he's saying.

"Yes you can! Come on!" Emma extends her hand to him. He looks as though he's going to try but instead he waves them off, "You go, I'm fine hear."

"No just grab on!" Just as Emma tries to reach for him a gust of wind hits her harder than any before and she loses her balance completely. Regina catches her and pulls her up by the shoulders to face her, "Emma we have to go now!"

Emma nods her head as they make their way to the other mast. Hands are gripping shoulders and forearms and pulling on sleeves; anything to keep some balance and make it in one piece. When they finally arrive they both crash into it, huffing and puffing as the cold rain hits harder. They each wrap their own arms and wrists around the shrouds of rope and then use the mast as a brace for windbreak. They hold on for what feels like an hour with the storm not subsiding in the least. Emma can see that Regina lost a lot of steam trying to find this spot because she's having a hard time keeping herself steady. Emma wordlessly wraps her left arm around Regina's back as she stands behind her; intertwining her hand in the ropes as she locks their forearms with her right.

She feels the trembling body against her chest. "Hang on. It'll be over soon." She tells a freezing Regina.


	6. Chapter Five

Chapter five

The storm breaks.

Regina is slowly waking up; immediately feeling a strain from her neck as she tries to lift her head. She's disoriented. Her body is soaked and cold but she remembers being colder. When she tries to part her wet hair which is blocking her line of sight she can't move her hands. Her wrists are throbbing and raw. Just then it hits her, where they are. She remembers she's held onto the ropes the whole night. She can barely feel her swollen fingers still gripping for life.

Emma. She remembers now. A moment when she believed she would surely pass out from exhaustion, Emma reaching around her and helping her keep her grip. It's she who she feels pressed against her back breathing deeply. She's still sleeping. If she knew better from operation Neverland Emma is as deep a sleeper as Henry is. Momentarily her thoughts linger on him. She misses him so much. She wonders if he is doing alright.

"Emma.. wake up." Regina's slowly trying to stretch her body, hoping that the movement will stir Emma awake. How long have they been asleep? She tried so hard to stay with it but now it seems as though a whole night has passed.

She repeats her motions. Almost feeling bad for trying to wake her. She doesn't know how long she was out and Emma had to stay awake to keep them safe. 'Always The Savior. Always saving me.' Soon Emma was going to have to list 'Saving Major Mills' as a part time job in her CV. Regina felt safe knowing Emma always seemed to have her back. She was touched and also worried that she wouldn't be able to repay her by saving Captain eyeliner. She knew they would literally have hell to pay if thus far the beginning of their journey had been so trying.

Emma starts to come to. She feels herself pressed up against a body. 'Hook?' No, this body is too soft. 'Wait are my hands tied? What the hell did I get into?' With her thoughts in disarray she remembers: the storm, holding onto Regina and the moment she finally gave out. Emma lowered them to a sitting positing as she tried to brace Regina and herself from the storm. She doesn't remember when she fell asleep.

"Ah," Emma grunts in pain.

"Hold on Miss Swan don't move." Regina who had managed to untangle herself from the ropes gently grabs onto Emma's hands and helps her free herself. Emma is looking over her shoulder as Regina tries a healing spell over her abraded hands but of course, it doesn't work.

"God damn it!" Regina sighs in frustration. If there's one thing she feels handicapped without other than Henry by her side it's her magic. She still doesn't know how the hell she held on without it for so many years. That's probably why she was so bitter and bored.

"It's ok." Emma carefully pulls back trying to avoid too much contact with Regina. Even though Emma essentially slept on her back and she considers her a true friend, she feels Regina is still a very guarded person. And right now Emma concludes she's back to all business after her 'Miss Swan' command. Still, Emma can't help but moan quietly while trying to stand up. It feel great to stretch her body yet she has a fleeting thought of missing the contact. This immediately freaks her out. 'It's probably just because I've never been that physically close to Regina. Of course it feels good to be close to your friends.' Except she's never felt so special before while 'cuddling' with a friend. 'That's because it's Regina..a challenge.' Emma concludes that sleeping next to and protecting the former evil queen is alluring because she is the former evil queen, no one is allowed to be that close.' Yes, this satisfies Emma as a perfectly reasonable explanation. She wonders how many nights Henry must have slept in her arms. What a lucky kid her son is. 'That is because he got to grow up with such a caring mother,' she tells herself. She wonders how he's doing.

There's a moment of awkward silence between the two of them once Regina stands up.

Regina locks eyes with her, "Thank you."

Emma simply acknowledges by smiling and nodding her head. "I think we should check on Gold."

"Yes with any luck he was blown away." Regina quips.

Emma half smiles as they walk towards the mast.

"Man this is a lot bigger than I imagined. No wonder it took us so long to get to the other side."

Regina takes in her surroundings for the first time. Even though they were on the top deck of a ship it felt as though they rode on an immense skyscraper. She felt that a night had passed for even though the storm had cleared and the grey surrounding them never dissipated it now appeared to take on a lighter shade of grey; the equivalent of daylight in this place, she supposed.

When they approached Gold he was already awake.

"Well, well, well it seems he's still alive."

"And good morning to you too Regina."

"THERE IS NO MORNING. THERE IS NO NIGHT. ONLY MY SHIP AND THE ELEMENTS." All three turn to the helm of the ship where death is standing tall looking over the entire deck and sea.

"What about the souls, Charon?" Gold bites back.

It chuckles, "THEY ARE NONE OF YOUR CONCERN MORTAL."

"We could have died last night." Emma's beginning to lose her patience with all of this.

"COULD? YES. A MORTAL CAN DIE ANY MOMENT OF ANY HOUR OF ANY DAY. THAT IS THE ONLY CERTAINTY. BUT YOU SHAN'T DIE ON MY VESSEL."

"You left us exposed, you..." Emma's shouting now.

"IT IS NOT MY JOB TO PROVIDE LODGING. ONLY TO DELIVER YOU TO YOUR DESTINATION."

"But this is a ship!"

"IT IS NOT MY JOB TO PROVIDE LODGING. YES MORTAL THIS IS A SHIP. MY SHIP! NO MORTAL WILL MIX WITH THE DEAD. YOU MUST NOT LEAVE THE TOP DECK."

"Is he in there?! Is Hook inside?" Emma's charging towards Charon. Gold and Regina rushing behind her.

"NO YOUNG EMMA. YOUR FRIEND HAS BEEN IN TARTARUS."

"But in Tartarus there will be many souls, will there not?" Asks Gold. Clearly confused about this "soul mixing phenomenon." Also secretly worried about who he may encounter. Gold wishes there will be "no mixing" in Tartarus.

"THE RULES OF HADES DO NOT CONCERN ME. I TELL THEE THE RULES OF MY SHIP."

With this Charon turns away and Emma makes her way the railing to take a deep breath.

She decides to look down and immediately regrets it. They tower hundreds of feet into the air over the grey sea and Emma feels herself go dizzy from one glance. She quickly turns around and sits.

Regina looks her over and sees she's turned pale.

"Put your head in-between your legs and breathe. It's almost over."

"GRAB AHOLD OF YOUR ROPES MORTALS WE ARE ABOUT TO DESCEND INTO TARTARUS."

Emma quickly stands up and the three of them look over the horizon where they see a giant sinkhole in the ashy sea funneling itself open. And they are headed right towards it.


	7. Chapter Six

_Hi everyone! Thank you so much for your awesome reviews! And thank you for following the story and making it a favorite. This chapter took a little longer than I would have liked because I was having a difficult time feeling original. I decided to just go with my imagination and keep writing because the season just started again. As I have in the past I will refrain from watching the show as I don't want to cross-contaminate my ideas. Lol_

 _I hope you like it and are enjoying the story. Please keep reviewing and let me know what you think! Xoxo_

Chapter Six

A Bloody Beach

The three stand there dumbfounded looking over with trepidation at the water hole. They all had been through many portals by this point in their lives but not the portal that led to hell itself. That changed everything.

"I WOULD HOLD ON IF I WERE YOU."

"Fuck!" Emma, Regina and Rumple run back towards the ropes.

Emma looks at Regina; each silently acknowledging the gravity of the moment. Emma can't help but think of how much they had already been through. And now here they were, side by side entering hell. Henry's smile makes it's way into her mind. She always saw Henry when she looked into Regina's eyes. He was the most important person in the whole world to Emma. She looks at Regina and tears form in her eyes. 'Henry. Why I am doing this? Henry is all that matters. He's all that's ever mattered.' It's dawns on Emma too late. This whole time she was so preoccupied with saving the man that she loves that she failed to realize that the only love that's kept her going is the love of her son. He's the only love she's ever truly needed.

The ship is beginning to descend but Emma fails to notice, her thoughts racing with Henry. It begins to storm again. Wind and rain take over the atmosphere while they begin to tip forward as the ship leans into the sea.

"Regina...I was wrong!"

"What?"

"This doesn't matter. Only Henry matters." Emma is crying now.

"You deserve to be happy too Emma." Regina understands exactly how Emma feels and her heart breaks for her. She herself is fully aware that if not for Emma Swan she would not have ventured into this unknown; not for anybody else save the mother of her son.

"I was happy." Emma barely whispers this. She loves Hook. She will always love Hook but she's never needed him to make her happy. She was happy with Henry in Storybrook; with her parents, her friends and with Regina. She was happy before Killian and now she was risking it all for her selfishness.

"Stop! Please!"

"Emma no!" Regina shouts as both her and Gold try to stop her. Emma staggers her way over to the Grim Reaper her face soaked with warm rain and salty tears.

"I was wrong. Please turn back."

"I SHALL TURN BACK BUT IT IS NOT THE TIME."

Emma looks down frustrated and emotionally spent, "When?"

"YOU SHALL KNOW WHEN THE TIME IS RIGHT."

In defeat she turns around and heads back. She's trying to run on an incline as Gold and Regina extend their hands for her to grab on to. She reaches Regina's cold hand first and immediately feels Regina pulling her up as Rumple grabs ahold of her left arm and helps.

"When did this turn into the Titanic?" Regina sarcastically says.

"So you do watch movies." Emma half smiles at her.

"Only with Kate Winslet." She winks.

"Um...I hate to break up Jack and Rose but we need to climb over!" Rumple is already fighting his way by climbing to the other side of the ropes.

Regina wants to punch him across the face for his stupid comment but he's right. She and Emma make there way until the three of them are side by side practically straddling the ropes and holding on for dear life. More water hits them across the face and the ship descends further into the bowels of watery hell.

"I never knew hell would be so wet!" Emma quirks.

Regina raises an eyebrow just as the ship begins to straighten out again and makes its way through an opening that emerges to their right.

As they go through the water tunnel everything begins to dry up. Regina can feel a surge of heat coming through as they near the end of the tunnel.

"WE ARE HERE."

The ship harshly halts and they make their way to where death's metallic fingers are pointing.

"How do we get down..." Emma stops her words as she sees a wooden plank extend itself down to the shore.

As they begin to make their way down Rumple turns to Charon, "How much time do we have?"

"THAT DEPENDS ENTIRELY ON HER."

"But when should we return? Do we meet you here?" Regina can't stand the uncertainty of all of Death's answers.

"I WILL FIND YOU. ONLY WHEN THE TIME IS RIGHT."

This fills Regina with dread as she knows the right time can be forever for this timeless creature. She looks down as they make their way and she sees lines of people emerging from the ship. Most of them barely have any clothing to cover their bodies. Big monstrous looking creatures wearing a loin cloth around their waists and leather straps about their bare chests arrive on the beach. They are herding these people. They begin beating them with their whips and they push them forward.

"Those were the people on the ship." Emma turns to them.

Rumple nods his head.

"Why are they being tortured?" Emma immediately feels compelled to protect these people from their beatings.

"Emma, remember we're in hell. Who knows what they're paying for." Regina reminds her.

"Isn't this Tartarus?" Emma pleads wondering if Hook was treated this way.

"Tartarus is hell." Regina confirms.

"Why was Hook brought here of all places?" Emma says this to no one in particular. Except Regina can't think of a very good answer.

'Perhaps because he conjured all those dark ones' she thinks. 'Perhaps because I persuaded him kill his own father. Perhaps because of all those years being a wretched pirate.' She doesn't want to burden Emma with any of these truths right now but she can't sugar coat it either. She opts for silence.

Rumple turns to Emma, "Look all I know is there are many dimensions here. Many different realms. I don't know who or what decides which place a soul goes to. Death has brought you to where your pirate lies." Regina looks at him knowing he is definitely not sharing everything he knows. Even she has more knowledge about what goes on down here. What she can't figure out is why he is shielding Emma from this information.

When they reach the bottom of the wooden plank they look upon on a dark shore hosting a red colored sand that almost looks like blood. This gives Regina the chills. When she looks around she sees there is nothing alive here save them. The trees are dead and barren, the air feels stale and smells of rotting fish. It feels uncomfortably hot for the shore of a beach. No breeze from the previous storm to offer some coolness.

Regina is the first to take a tentative step on the red sand. When she looks down she sees small amounts of blood oozing their way through. The smell of old putrid blood engulfs her nostrils and she feels nauseous. Her eyes light up in horror as she realizes for the first time that the water casting upon the sand is filled with blood. And underneath the tides lie sunken bodies wavering with the dark waves.

"Is that?" Emma looks on in horror following Regina's gaze. Regina just nods her head trying not to aggravate her dizzying nausea.

Far away they hear a creature yell to a man that appears to be turning around. The creatures yell in many languages and then in the only one the three understand, "If you refuse to march you go no further. You end up there! It is your choice!" He points to the shore of bodies.

Emma felt despair in her raging thoughts of what Killian must be going through. 'What if he refused?' She begins to head towards the shore. Each step raising blood.

Regina grabs her arm and pulls her, "Emma wait."

"He might be there!"

"He's not that stupid!"

"But did you see those people?" Emma's eyes water after looking at the trapped, motionless bodies in the water and at the ones further down being whipped and beat.

Regina did see those people. Her heart breaks for the pain they must be feeling. She also wonders what they did to be here. She wonders if they have any remorse for whatever they have done or if their remorse is tempered just as her own is. She wonders if they ever attempted the path of redemption before their lives ended. Regina refuses to ponder the questions that have been desperately trying to invade her mind since they got on that ship, for she knows that Tartarus may be her ultimate destination. But not today. And not for Emma.

"Those people are none of our concern." Regina says this harder than she means to.

"You need to focus and think of the one reason why we are here so that we can go home, back to our son... Capiche?"

Emma nods knowing that Regina is right.

Despite how troubled and sick they feel from the smell of the rotting blood they press on encountering one of the giant creatures. Upon closer inspection they realize some only have one eye like a cyclops. They wreak of foul body odor and have black crooked teeth. Their bodies are muscular and marked with multiple scars. Their wrinkled faces look worn and cruel and they appear to have no hair. The creatures ignore the trio.

"Excuse me, which way to Tartarus?"

They giant creature grunts and looks at Rumple with his one eye. "Only one way." His breath is worse than his body odor. "Follow the sinners," He says harshly.

And so with a heavy sigh they do. They decide to walk far behind one of the lines of the people being whipped. Each minute that passes makes them more uncomfortable seeing the souls up ahead being pushed by these monsters as some groan and wale. The trio sink further away slowing their tracks for the farther they are the less they will hear.

The landscape hasn't changed much in the fifteen minutes they've been walking in silence. They follow the trail only marked by open pathways amongst the barren rotting trees.

"I'm so thirsty."

Regina attempts her magic, conjuring up some soda instead of the prospective water. "Not my intention but here." She hands it to Emma.

"Regina stop." Rumple looks at her seriously.

"What?" She says defensively.

"We don't know what our magic may attract here. Perhaps we should limit its use to only the absolutely necessary."

"I don't know about you but this Coke is delicious." Emma hands the rest over to Regina who gulps down a good amount before handing it to Rumple.

He looks at her with worry in his eyes.

"Just take it Gold, it's already done. Who are you so afraid of anyway?"

Gold doesn't answer as he takes a drink but he knows deep down that even though they are out of the dark ocean they are still treading in dangerous waters.


	8. Chapter Seven

_Hi Everyone! Thank you for being so patient! I'm sorry it took me so long to post this chapter. I had some minor setbacks but I'm back on the game. I hope you are all enjoying! Thank you again so much for your reviews! And thank you for following my story and making it a favorite. You guys are my motivators! And I am delighted when I read all your comments; your words fuel my fire! Thank you! Xoxo_

Chapter Seven

The Caves

"Who are you so afraid of anyway?" Regina had asked this of Gold knowing very well she was only challenging him for information. She could only imagine the caravan of souls that would line up to seek revenge on her for all her past misdeeds; Gold's could possibly include half of hell. Regina knew that she should feel more afraid but she didn't. No one from her past had the capacity to cause terror in her for it was she who did the terrorizing. All except one. Regina understood that encountering her mother would fill her with so many raw emotions. Emotions she didn't care to feel right now. She was here on a mission and she didn't want any of her own baggage to get in the way. But the idea of seeing her mother sent a chill through her. They had made amends and Regina had suffered her death immensely. She would love to see her mother one day again. But despite all of her evil doings, to see Cora, down here in the bowels of hell would kill Regina. She hoped deep inside that Cora had repented and righted her wrongs, but even if she had...would a soul as evil as her mother be forgiven so easily?

Emma felt as though they had walked miles. Up ahead she could see a clearing where the tormented souls seemed to converge. They hadn't spoken much this whole time. Regina seemed to be angry she could only produce soda for drink and Gold was just quiet. Emma's thoughts would vary between Hook, then Henry, her parents and concern for Regina. She had concluded that she could not under any circumstance allow anything to happen to Regina. Whatever it took she needed to keep her safe...for Henry. Emma looked up once more at the sky hoping to see something pleasant, hoping the view had changed. The sky was red and cloudless. Not the kind of sunset red with varying pinks and yellows or blues and whites, no this was a mute red. It felt like being in a hot, and dreary red painting.

Finally arriving at this new clearing all three curiously looked around. They don't see much there except multiple dark cave entrances that the souls are being led into.

"Move it now! Hurry up! You don't want to make the master come out do you?!..." The giant creatures yell at the souls.

Emma looks at Regina at hearing "the master." The one thing she negated in her mind was him. The thought of encountering this being filled her with a different kind of dread. How terrifying would he be? How hideous and powerful. What would he do to them given the chance? Could they avoid him? Her thoughts were racing with fear. Meeting the grim reaper was frightening enough but this made her want to turn around and run back to storybrooke.

"Will he be part of the equation?" She directs her question at Gold.

"I certainly hope not." Gold sincerely answers.

It's isn't lost on Regina how Gold looks all around him while saying this. 'He probably already knows we're here.' She thinks to herself. She's most definitely not inclined towards meeting him but she's ready if that's what it takes. Regina isn't afraid of anybody.

Regina tiredly sits over a dead branch while they wait for the souls to be herded into these caves.

Emma turns to her, "How do we know which one?"

"I guess we'll have to ask the muscle heads over there."

Out of nowhere a black bird appears above them. It dives close by and flys around them. "What's a crow doing here?" Emma follows it with her eyes.

"That's not a crow that's a Raven." Gold answers.

"Okay." Emma is unsure of why it matters what species of bird this is.

As if on cue Regina quietly answers, "Ravens are mythical birds believed to be spirits or human-like creatures taking the form of a bird."

Emma whispers, "For what purpose?"

At that moment the beautiful black velvet-coated Raven perches itself on a nearby dead branch. Regina is Closely following the Raven with her eyes distractedly and gets very close to Emma, "To watch us."

This sends a chill up Emma's spine. She looks over and locks eyes with Regina. She tells herself that what's giving her gooseflesh is the information Regina shared and not Regina's hot breath against her neck. It's been too long since I've seen Hook. She reassures herself.

"Could it belong to him?" Emma looks at a worried looking Rumple.

"Maybe."

"Well, I can easily get rid of it." Regina stands with a fireball in her in right hand preparing to cinch the bird.

Emma's eyes go wide and she grabs Regina's wrist, "Wait!"

Rumple jumps in, "What did I tell you about using magic here?"

"I will do whatever I damn-well please."

"Hey both of you...stop! What if the Raven is here to help us?"

Both Regina and Rumple look at Emma as if she grew an extra head.

"Oh my God you are your parent's child." Regina makes the fire ball disappear and spins in frustration.

"No really? What if it's a messenger bird or something?"

"What like in game of thrones?" Rumple looks at Regina and they both smirk. Emma can't believe Regina is siding with him.

"All I'm saying is that we should wait before cooking it. It may not even be for us." Emma gives Regina a look of hurt she hasn't seen from her in a long time.

"Well, I suppose we wouldn't want to attract any unnecessary attention to ourselves." Regina says this as she glances sideways at the Raven.

Emma lets out a breath she didn't realize she was holding. Suddenly they hear a great noise coming from the caves. When they look they see a giant wall of rock closing the entrances. Emma runs for the the closest cave.

"Wait, please we need to get through."

"You are alive." The giant creatures continue closing the entrances ignoring her.

"Stop! We need to go inside!"

"You are alive. Go home."

Emma reaches for a muscular arm trying to stop it. "No! The man I love is somewhere in Tartarus and I'm not leaving until I find him"

The monster looks at her with his angry eyes but stills his movement. He whistles at the others and they stop their movement as well.

"Which one?" The monster asks Emma.

"I don't..." Emma shakes her head.

"Clear your mind mortal. Find him only with your mind. These stones appear solid. They are not. They do not exist. Only your mind creates a cave."

When did the monsters become Deepak Chopra? Emma shakes her head and tries to rid herself of sarcasm. She closes her eyes and thinks of the first time Hook kissed her. She thinks of his confident lips and how he wrapped his arm around her. She remembers how good she felt being kissed by someone who loved her. She opens her eyes with newfound hope but nothing has happened. She is still standing in front of the same cave with Regina by her side.

"This must be the one." The monster tells her.

Without another thought she begins to walk forward. As Regina takes a step forward the Raven swoops in out of nowhere; flying side to side in front of her preventing her from moving forward.

"Crazy bird! Get out of my way." She swats at hit with her hands.

The Raven is in a flight of disarray as it appears determined to keep her there.

"Did I pick the wrong door?" Emma says this aloud not to anyone in particular.

"Mortal chose the door. Mortal knows the way. In your mind. Bird is crazy...Go."

Regina manages to get under it and moves quickly following Emma.

"Gold! Are you coming?" Regina yells back. He looks at the disconcerted bird but he knows staying back is not an option. Neither Emma nor Regina will listen to him. So he makes the decision to follow them all the while guessing who the Raven might be. As they step forward into the darkness they fail to notice the Raven enters as well.


	9. Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight

The Tunnel of Darkness

Emma hears the stone wall close behind her. Not wanting to stall she takes three steps forward then halts her movement. She looks to her left and to her right but she see's nothing. With the closing of the cave they stand in pitch darkness. Not a flash of grey, nor a gleam of light. She waves her right hand in front of her face but still nothing. Not even the wind from the force of her waving hand.

"Emma." A concerned Regina draws near.

"I'm here." Emma reaches out into the void with her left arm and pulls her near.

"Emma I can't see anything."

"Neither can I...Gold?"

"Present."

It occurs to Emma to form a flame. Like a faulty lighter it dissipates as quickly as it forms. "Regina you try..." She slightly turns to where she senses Regina is standing.

"I got it." Regina magics a fire ball that also disappears before there eyes. "Great!" She huffs out in frustration.

"I think this is useless." Gold sounds pessimistic as ever.

"Why don't you try? You are the dark one again perhaps it'll work." Regina demands.

Rumple tries but a colorless flame ignites and goes out just like the others.

"Fantastic. What the hell are we supposed to do?" Regina must be frightened Emma thinks. She always hides her concern with anger. Emma was petrified but she couldn't think of a way out of this other than pressing forward. Standing around made her nervous.

"I don't know but I say we move."

"Move? Where?" Regina asks her.

"I don't know Regina but I don't feel like hanging around in the dark waiting for who knows what...do you?"

'I was never one for waiting,' Regina considers, "Walking it is."

Emma takes a tentative first step and sighs in relief. "Ok so far solid ground." She chuckles nervously.

Regina stretches her left foot in front of her as if testing the floor before she takes a step. As she's about to take another Gold bumps into her and knocks her forward pushing Emma.

"Shit!"

"Sorry ladies. I can't exactly see where I'm going."

"Well neither can we yet somehow we manage to keep to our own space."

"You know what Regina? We're not exactly in the most ideal situation right now."

"No of course not! Any situation where you are not in control is never ideal for you."

"Well.. look who's talking?"

As Rumple and Regina fight back and forth Emma feels her skin crawling with warmth and an all too familiar childhood fear of the dark trying to take over her better senses. Their arguing was only making her feel worse.

"Ok guys how about we hold on to one another? That way no more bumping in." The truth was that Emma welcomed a little hand holding right now. She closed her eyes breathing in and out trying to control her impending panic. Even as an adult she never fully got over her fear of the dark. And this darkness was taking it to a different level. She was beginning to feel so hot now. It was getting harder to take a deep breath as if the air itself grew denser.

"You two can hold hands. I will walk ahead so that I stay away from your ample space...Regina." Rumple pushed past Regina and was blindly heading forward. If anyone could see right now they'd see Regina rolling her eyes at him. She truly despised him sometimes. She knew arguing in this situation was ridiculous but it felt so good to fight with him. She wanted to take him down for so many years that even though she had been behaving civil lately for Henry's sake right now she just didn't care.

She presses on... "Try not to fall into a pit of flames Gold." Regina walks angrily for a few moments and suddenly realizes she doesn't hear anyone near her anymore. She turns around not too sure of where Emma is.

"Miss Swan?"

No answer.

While lost in her anger she lost sight of why they were here to begin with. Now concerned, "Miss Swan are you alright?"

Emma can vaguely hear her but she doesn't answer. She feels incapable of speaking. She's gone into a full panic now as she feels the darkness closing in on her and she just can't breathe.

When Emma doesn't answer Regina's immediately alarmed. "Emma!" She begins to run in all directions. After going in circles she's getting nowhere so she decides to stop and listen. After a few seconds she hears Emma's heavy breathing.

"Emma I need you to say something so that I can find you."

No answer. Regina closes her eyes and continues to focus on what she hopes is Emma's loud breathing.

"I'm here." Emma finally gets out.

Regina bolts in the direction of the sound. "Where? Emma talk to me!" 'How did we separate so much?' She wonders.

"Here." Regina hears the sound coming from beneath her too late as she trips over Emma hitting her in the face. Regina is sprawled on the floor with her legs pinning a panting Emma. She recovers and finds her way to grab ahold of Emma's shoulders.

"Emma!"

-PANT, PANT, GASPS, PANT-

"Emma." Regina quiets her voice. "Emma talk to me. Are you hurt?"

-GASP, GASP, PANT- Emma nods her head no which Regina can't see in the dark. However, she feels Emma move. So she reaches to cup her cheek and asks her question again.

"Are you hurt?" This time she feels as Emma shakes her head from side to side.

"Ca...ah...ah...n't. Bre...rea...the."

"Yes you can. If I can... you can!"

'Great!" Regina thinks. 'How am I supposed to get her out of this if I can't control my magic and produce a flame?'

Regina feels Emma's sweaty hands through her hold. She's hyperventilating so much Regina's afraid she may pass out. She lets go of Emma to try to produce a brown paper bag but Emma reaches forward taking her forearms by a death grip.

"No! Don't... le..let... go!"

"I'm not I just need to make you a bag."

Emma's hyperventilating is worsening.

"No!"

"Ok! Ok." Regina Remembers to calm herself and not lose her patience right now even though she wants to panic herself. She reaches around Emma pulling her into a hug knowing Emma may feel more claustrophobic but she needs a free hand to try and produce a bag.

"Can't breathe!"

"I know Emma just try and breathe with me." Regina exaggerates her breathing.

Emma is desperately trying to follow.

"Just like this. In and out." Regina continues to breath deeply as she closes her eyes and puts all her focus into her magic. Emma is now slowing her breathing and when Regina opens her eyes she realizes she failed in producing a paper bag but instead she created fire!

"Emma look."

"No...can't...Breathe."

"It's ok. Open your eyes." Regina pushes Emma's arm up and out of the way as she brings the flame forward.

"Light," says a weary and red-eyed looking Emma.

Regina laughs in relief and smiles sitting back, "Yes light!" She looks at Emma noticing a busted red lip. She's about to reach out to examine it and suddenly the flame goes out.

"Wait...no!" She hears Emma starting to pant again. "What the hell?"

Rumple who had briefly noticed the light was headed in their direction. Regina was beyond flustered when he arrived panting.

"What did you do different Regina?" He asks.

"I don't know. I had a flame and now it's gone again! Emma breathe." She reminds her.

"What were you thinking or doing when you made it?"

Regina searches her mind frantically and then it hits her, "Touching Emma. Like the hat. It's our magic!"

She holds Emma's hand and closes her eyes attempting the fire again.

Gold leans down. "Emma... yours and Regina's magic works better together. Try and calm yourself. Think of the flame."

Emma closes her eyes again and remembers the comfort of the light. She tries to focus on her right hand holding onto Regina's. She thinks of their magic making it's way through them. She opens her eyes and there it is. A white flame stronger than the previous bit of fire.

"And there you go." Gold proudly stands.

"And what did you do?" Regina looks up at him.

"Just don't break the contact dearie. Or we may all be in the dark again."

Regina helps Emma up briefly noticing blood on her lip. She decides to ignore Emma's bleeding lip for now as they need to gather their bearings and find a way out of wherever they are. She feels guilty as she imagines she caused the injury when she tripped over Emma. In her left hand she holds a bright beautiful white light that will shine the way; in her right hand she strongly holds Emma's soft shaky hand. "Are you alright dear?"

Emma nods her head yes as she takes a deep breath and allows Regina to lead in front of her.

Regina looks all around her as they walk and she gathers they are in a tunnel of some sort. When she shines the light closer to the perimeter all she sees is slick, black curved walls. There are no turns nor changes in scenery. Only an open dark tunnel seemingly headed in one direction. The question that kept her mind busy was 'where? Where was this tunnel leading them? To what pit of hell were they headed towards? And why this dark tunnel?'

After what feels like they've been walking for over a mile Regina becomes all too aware of Emma's hand linked to hers. The silence between them is deafening and their palms are as sweaty as two teenagers on a first date. Even though at first Regina was blaming it on both their nerves given the frightful situation; now after walking for a while with the steady light she was no longer sure why she felt her palm so sweaty; someone was definite cranking up the heat.

A calmer Emma turns to Regina, "I don't know what came over me back there. I'm sorry about my immature behavior and thank you."

Regina looks at her puzzled, "You don't need to apologize or thank me. For once it was my turn to save you from the dark."

Emma looks at Regina somewhat surprised her former nemesis didn't have a quick remark about her weakness. Instead Regina looks happy to have saved her. Regina gives her a beaming smile that Emma can't help but return. Emma gives her hand a squeeze as they continue to walk; Regina looks down almost shyly.

They walk in awkward silence for another five minutes. Nothing different appears nor changes.

'Why am I so uncomfortable?' Regina thinks. "How's your lip?"

"Oh that." Emma reaches up and harshly wipes it with the back of her hand. "Ouch."

Regina stops to look at her, "What are you ten? "Hold onto my wrist so we don't break contact and lose the light."

Emma does so as she follows Regina's hand up to her mouth. Regina begins to lightly rub over her abrasion with her thumb in a touch that feels too intimate. Emma feels the heat pooling underneath Regina's thumb as her healing spell feels more like a soft caress on her lip. She sees sparkles of light floating up from where she makes contact. When Regina finishes for only a few seconds her thumb lingers on Emma's healed lip. Emma feels her breath quicken and she doesn't know if this new frenzy is caused by the tunnel or Regina's burning gaze.

The moment is interrupted by an unknown female voice, "I didn't know there could be light in the tunnel of darkness."

Regina pulls her hand back and Emma lets go of her. The light goes out just as the two women caught sight of the Raven speaking and turning into a most beautiful woman.


	10. Chapter Nine

Chapter nine

The Raven

Emma throws her hand out harshly, scrambling to reach for Regina so that they may 'turn on the light' again.

The energy is palpable.

When illuminated, the woman once Raven, is simply standing there gawking at them.

"And who the hell are you?" Regina commands.

The bird-woman smiles slyly and slightly cocks her head, "A friend."

Regina eyes her up and down and takes note of her appearance, hoping she can place her somehow. There's a familiarity in her deep brown eyes. Her dark hair is slightly curled and halfway up, being held by an adornment that holds a few gold laurels. She wears a delicate ivory tunic and golden laced up sandals. By definition she looks Greek. Regina can take an educated guess as to who she is.

Before she can continue to interrogate her, Gold who appeared to be miles away in his own world the entire time, chimes in, "And to what do we owe the pleasure?"

"Dark One, your reputation precedes you."

He nods his head forward in a curious salutation that Emma eyes mysteriously. She wants to know who this woman is!

"Who are you and what do you want?" This comes out harder than she intended.

"As I said I am a friend and what I want is to help you."

Emma doesn't trust this bird-woman for a minute yet she doesn't sense that she is lying.

"I must get you out of the tunnel of darkness before it affects you completely. You've already experienced what it can do to you. Emma, you were enveloped by one of your childhood fears. Regina, you and Rumplestiltskin were constantly bickering letting wrath overtake you."

"This tunnel brings out emotions?" Emma looks at Regina.

"Not exactly. The tunnel of darkness snuffs out the light Emma. Leaving in it's place nothing but one's darkest emotions; such as fear, wrath, loneliness, desperation, hate, and pain amongst many others. The souls that become trapped here can wander in pain for centuries." The Raven looks sincere with her explanation.

"Why should we trust you?" Regina asks.

"Because you are in hell and if you don't let me help you the next being that will try to is the last creature any of you should ever want to encounter."

"We should evacuate at once." Rumple agrees with her and Regina looks at him oddly for seeming so trusting of her.

"We created light. We can fight this on our own." Regina says to Emma.

"Indeed you can. Something I have never seen done before."

The Raven takes a step closer to Regina. "I can assure you, staying will only delay her objective and leave you all more vulnerable Regina. Please, I mean you no harm. Use your gift Emma and know that I speak the truth. I must get you out of here."

Emma takes a deep breath, thinking back to the panic attack, not wanting to ever experience that again. She decides to trust the bird. "Ok."

"Close your eyes."

Regina hesitates but does as she's told. She knows Emma can tell when someone is lying. She trusts that Emma wouldn't have agreed otherwise.

When Regina opens her eyes they are standing on the precipice of another cave entrance. She sees ahead a network of caves with spiraling staircases moving down. There are souls in chains hauling coal and metals. The space is immense and there are fire pits at the bottom of the structure.

"Well, that's not something you see everyday." Regina glances down.

"Is this Tartaurus?" Emma asks.

"Everything you've seen is Tartaurus. But this realm, this place is where your friend lies. I will take you to him."

Emma makes a quick step to start down the stone staircase. Regina and Rumple are closely behind when the Raven turns and stops Regina, "Wait. Not you."

"Move out of my way."

"She needs to do this alone."

Rumple intervenes, "We're not leaving her."

"Correction. I'm not leaving her. When she completes what she's here to do they will join you and I will lead you out of here." The Raven states.

"You don't understand. I am not leaving her." Regina punches her words like a professional boxer driving her fight.

The beautiful Raven gets in her face, "No! You don't understand; it is for your own safety."

Emma doesn't like this so she climbs up and pushes her aside, "Hey! We are not separating."

The Raven pushes them back into the cave and sighs deeply. "Idiots! The three of you! You, are the Dark One; HE is bound to notice and come looking for you! Unless that is what you wish...to be recruited? You, alone can put them in jeopardy."

"No, of course not!" Rumple states smugly.

"We aren't dead. How are we in danger? What aren't you telling us?" Emma knows she's keeping something huge.

"It's because you are alive. As it is I need to disguise you and turn back into my other form."

"And why didn't you show yourself sooner?" Regina scrutinizes her.

"I couldn't risk the exposure before the tunnel. And I had to be sure we were alone."

"We don't need her to find him Emma." Regina waves her hand and their clothing turns to tattered rags like the ones the souls below are wearing. "We can do this."

"No!" The Raven grab's Regina's hand with incredible strength that ignites Regina's anger. Emma lunges forward to stop her, 'who they hell does she think she is grabbing Regina like that?!' But the Raven puts her hand against Emma's chest with ridiculous strength preventing her from moving.

"Do not use your magic! He will sense it and find you. I forbid it!"

Rumple looks extremely unnerved, "I told you. I've been telling them but she wouldn't listen."

Regina feels an array of emotions. She feels chastised like a child. She feels angry yet guilty, small yet knowingly powerful. She looks at Emma who appears desperate.

"Disguise us and do what you must. As long as we stay together I will stop using my magic." This is the only bargain Regina is willing to offer.

The Raven doesn't look happy at all, "Alright." She lets go of both of them. "Stay close and don't draw any unnecessary attention to yourselves."

"Too bad...I was planing to run down singing 'When the saints go marching in." Regina walks past the Raven who ignores her sarcasm and quickly turns back into a bird. As she changes she muffles quietly to herself, "Why must you always be so difficult."

Rumplestiltskin is the only one who hears her. He follows them bewildered; having once believed to have known who the Raven was...'Why would she refer to Regina as if she knew her?'


	11. Chapter Ten

Chapter Ten

Hook's hell

The lines of souls descending and ascending the spiral staircase is of epic proportion. No one speaks. They are all consumed by their sins which they hall on their backs or push in front of them. The trio fall in between the lines of souls as new souls emerge from the cave entrances and others disappear into them. Emma wonders what exactly it is they're doing? Where they are going doesn't appear to be such a mystery as they reappear with new items: metals, chains, coal and other materials normally used by iron workers. Emma looks up but she can find no sky nor roof. The structure continues up as if forever; with the busy souls entering and existing like a massive bee hive made of stone.

When she reaches the bottom Emma finds more souls hard at work. The place reeks of sulphur and strange gases she can't place. It looks like a scene from the past. Men and women covered in soot are pouring coal into giant furnaces while others stoke the fires. Other people are banging away at metals forming what looks like weapons and such. There are similar creatures like the ones encountered on the beach keeping order except these creatures have dreary bat-like wings. Unlike the beach creatures they are frail-looking, lanky and tall. The have claw-like hooks for feet and long black nails with protruding fangs for teeth. They look like...

"Demons." Rumple whispers to Emma as he catches up to her.

The Raven perches itself on stake of wood like a statue by one of the entrances. She is unmoving and very still. Clearly trying to blend in somehow. Emma draws near to it nonchalantly, "Where is he?"

The bird doesn't speak instead she makes a low squawking sound and sets it's sodom eyes on the far distance across the great room.

Emma follows it's gaze and that's when she sees him across the great arena. Wiping his sweaty forehead and pulling a barrel behind him.

"Hook." She whispers, confirming his existence.

"Hook." She voices louder.

"No!" Urges the Raven but Emma ignores her as she's already fast approaching on foot. Rumple reaches for Emma and calls to her but he's too late. Regina who has been wondering in a daze of her own thoughts snaps out of it and runs after Emma.

Rumple manages to grab her, "Regina wait," as he forces her down into a crouched position pointing to the nearest demon. He doesn't know how three of them would get past these patrolling monsters. He wished Emma would have only waited a few moments to formulate a plan. Regina understands the concept of camouflage but she still wants to run after Emma knowing that they are stronger together.

Emma quickly makes her way through the crowds of souls, dashing behind the perches of demons, not caring for her reckless behavior. She stays low believing she will go unnoticed until finally she's upon him. Emma's eyes are glistening with unshed tears as she calls for him, "Hook!"

He stops when he hears his old name and that familiar voice. Stunned... he looks up and sees her.

When he makes eye contact the world stills for Emma. She's found him and all she can think about is that they can get back to Storybrooke, to their lives, to Henry! She can get Regina literally out of hell and back to their son and all will be right again. With hope in her heart she throws herself in his arms.

Hook stands there frozen, not believing his own eyes, "Emma?" He pulls back in shock to look at her again, needing proof that she is really there. He looks her up and down with an unsteady gait.

"I'm here." She whispers.

He embraces her tightly with the sadness and longing of a tired soul.

"Why?" He pulls back and searches her eyes completely baffled and with so much hurt.

Emma smiles through her tears with relief and joy, "To get you out of here." She pulls him by the arm as she turns to look ahead; forming a plan for her way back across the room. She's desperately trying to locate Regina and Rumple on the other side through the masses of workers.

Hook tugs at her arm pulling her back into the shadows, "Wait!"

Emma looks at him expectantly. 'Perhaps he already has a plan.' She thinks.

"Swan, I thought about you." He sighs with melancholy in his words. "It's been so very long. Where do you plan on taking me?"

"What are you talking about? We are going home. The other's are waiting for us. We have to hurry." She begins to pull at him again but he's barely moving.

Hook registers Emma's ignorance and softly brushes his hand into her hair.

"No love. I can't go anywhere. Emma I've been in...look out!" Hook pushes her down and throws her behind him as a demon descends, claws forward upon him. It happens in a split second, the hellbeast reaches into his abdomen with it's razor sharp claws. All Emma can see is a fountain of blood spraying in all directions as the demon removes pieces of Killian's intestines and shoves them into it's mouth.

"No!" Emma wails!

"Ah...ah! God! Emma... go!" Hook is suspended by his insides with panic and worry for Emma in his eyes.

Emma stands there covered in his blood unmoving and in complete shock at seeing her boyfriend being torn apart by a demon.

Across the entire area the crowd of souls stop everything they do, looking petrified at the scene unfolding before them. With most of their heads bowed down in fear they create a direct line of vision for Regina and Rumple who now see what is taking place in horror.

"Oh my God!" Regina feels her heart jump out of her chest! She runs forward but the Raven flys into her.

"Stop. Regina please. This isn't your fight! He must not find you!"

The bird continues to beat against her but Regina ignores her completely, knowing Rumple is running right alongside her. As they reach the center of the arena she feels a set of claws grip at her shoulders stopping her in her tracks. She looks to the left and sees Rumple is in the same compromising position with the Raven being held captive in the claws of a demon. She looks for Emma who she can see more clearly now, also being restrained by a demon. She locks sympathetic and concerned eyes with her. Regina quickly studies Emma; she observes her chest rise and fall deeply and rapidly; watches her stand tall and unfaltering. Regina lets out a sigh of relief at concluding Emma is unharmed. She closes her eyes to stop her raging thoughts for when she saw all that blood and Emma standing behind it, for a minute she thought... Regina stops herself. Not allowing her mind to go there as 'clearly my... Emma is fine.' She can't say the same for the pirate though. As much gore and vile deaths as she has witnessed and sadly been the cause of, she finds herself cringing on the inside at the sight in front of her. If not so much for Hook's torn up insides but more for Emma who stands there trembling, unaccustomed to such things.

"Regina." Emma whispers...as she makes eye contact with her; instantly regretting these last few moments at seeing her friends caught in a dangerous situation because of her own impulsivity.

The demons roughly shove them towards each other; leading them in the same direction. Emma looks down at Hook who lays there sprawled on the ground in agonizing pain still awake, which Emma doesn't know how. She feels her anger boiling. She has to fight these demons somehow, "Let go!" She struggles against the iron-clad claws but that only causes them to dig deeper into her. She bites back a moan as she won't give these things the satisfaction of her pain. She focuses on bringing her magic forth but as she begins to do so another demon appears in front of her. It looks different than the others with its eerie yellow eyes as it hovers, flying in front of her face, "Continue and the same fate of the Captain will befall onto your beloved friend." It says this as it looks pointing to Regina.

Emma casts her eyes down after shooting daggers at this creature with her gaze. She feels so helpless as the tears fall down her face. She knows defeat, for she cannot save him, as she would never willingly put Regina's life at risk. She painstakingly understands that she never had a choice as she inaudibly mouths the words 'I'm sorry' to Killian, as they are lead into the deep recesses of hell.


	12. Chapter 11

_Hi Everyone! Sorry this chapter took so long for me to put up. I really enjoyed writing and reviewing it which I did one too many times. I finally decided to just submit it. I Hope you guys like it! Please don't forget to review! Thank you so much! Xoxo_

Chapter 11

A Deal from Hell

Emma catches one last glimpse of a shackled Rumple and an agitated Regina before the hood is placed over her head making everything dark. Emma starts to feel her blood surging again with anxiety. Her heartbeat immediately quickens as sweet pours down her face. Suddenly, she feels her eyelids grow heavy, her breath becoming deeper while her heart rate slows down; it feels as though an anesthetic is taking over. 'It feel so good.' No longer in control nor caring she succumbs to the feeling of drugs coursing through her body.

To Emma only a minute has passed as the hood is removed from her head; the light shining so brightly it blinds her. She raises her arm over her eyes to shield them from the discomfort. Slowly she's able to bring into focus the surroundings. They are standing in a beautiful courtyard of some sort. The floor looks to be made of marble and the surrounding walls are enormous with arched panes of frosted white glass. It's almost felt as though they stood in a greenhouse if it wasn't for the large ancient looking tables and antique elegant furniture. Emma takes in the dozens of green trees, fountains and Greek sculptures everywhere. But the most incredible sculpture isn't made of stone at all...It appears to be a man! An Adonis of a man who is walking towards them. Emma is taken with his beauty. He is majestic and tall with long dirty blond hair and a chiseled face. He has piercing blue eyes that are so clear they look like crystals only contrasted by his deep dark eyebrows. His flawless skin is white with a perfect golden tan that serves to outline every muscle as he walks towards them wearing a short white chiton leaving his right shoulder as bare as his feet . Emma has never before seen a man as beautiful as he.

"Welcome to Tartarus. I am Hades."

'Oh dear God I just checked out the Devil!' Emma shakes her head snapping out of her stupor and watches as he approaches Regina. Emma stands in shock as he takes Regina's hand and kisses it like the perfect 'motherfucking Adonis-looking gentleman!'

Hades turns to Emma, "I know, I know. I'm terribly sorry for what happened to your friend back there, really the creatures can sometimes be so barbaric. I assure you he is safe and will be fine."

Emma continues to look at him, mouth agape not knowing what to say or do. Hades was charming, attractive and polite. Emma could not have anticipated this in the least. She believed he would be vile and grotesque. She also envisioned him incredibly frightening. The kind of scary that keeps children paralyzed and makes the "monsters under the bed" appear friendly. 'He should have a long pointy tail, beady yellow eyes, fangs and a devil-like pitchfork!' She thought to herself. But here he was standing there like a model from a vogue magazine.

"In little time I will have them take you to him and you shall see for yourself how well he is. But first you all must be famished and thirsty."

He snaps his fingers and an assembly of ridiculously hot, half naked women, also wearing white chitons, bring an array of different foods. They carry grapes, cheese, cured meats and bread. They pour from large adorned jars what looks like wine into golden goblets. Emma feels her stomach stir with the scent.

Emma, Regina and Rumple stand there unmoving.

"I apologize if this didn't seem like a proper introduction but I assure you it can wait and besides I already know who you all are."

He looks at Rumple with a small smirk as he says this.

"We're not hungry." Regina found her voice before Emma.

"I can see her majesty yields for no one. Not even I, the great and mighty Hades." He says this with a proud and amused smile as if he were talking to his child.

"Now...Dark One, welcome back. Heresay to the Dark of course." He walks over to him and pats him on the shoulder. "I must say its always fitted you better than any of the others."

Now he turns and walks to Emma, "But please don't take offense to that Savior as you are my favorite Savior of them all. Unlike my friend up above, eh?" He cackles.

"And my Queen...Regina." At this Hades' eyes gloss over and he becomes serious. "You are far more beautiful in person than I could have ever imagined.

Emma doesn't like this. She doesn't understand what the hell is going on but she doesn't like this one bit.

"Where's the bird?" Regina looks determined as ever. Even now Emma can't help but admire her. She doesn't show the least bit of fear nor insecurity.

"Who? Her? She's fine. She needed a little time out for being a naughty girl."

When seeing Regina's face of disbelief Hades huffs and calls out, "Persephone. Come and show my guests how well you are."

'Persephone?' Emma's mind is racing...'The wife of Hades? This was a trap all along!'

Persephone, no longer in her raven form, walks out grimly. "I am here dear husband," she says sarcastically.

"Now you see my Queen she is well. You can all see it. Shall we move on then?"

"Hades, you have me, now let them go!" Persephone pleads with him.

"Oh come on now wife. No one here, save you of course, is a prisoner. They are my guests. My very alive guests. I am fully aware they will be leaving soon and no thanks to your intervening I may never have gotten the chance to meet them personally.

"Hades. You've gone too far." Persephone tries to continue speaking but no words make it out of her.

Hades raises his hand and turns her into a Raven again and she's completely mute, "That'll be enough of that. I can see you all would rather talk business first and then relax. Alright let's cut to the chase then...Now, Savior, you wish to save your private am I right?"

"Yes," is all Emma manages to say.

"Well good then. I think he is a soul who could use some saving. I have no problem letting you take him as long as he is able to go and all I ask is for some time with you all. Is that too much to ask for?"

"Do we have a choice?" Hades walks over towards Regina.

"There is always a choice." He stands unmoving in front of her.

As she looks into his evil blue eyes Regina understands very clearly what the options are. Indulge this monster to get Hook back or don't but that means Emma will never see Hook again. As much as Regina wants to leave here, whether they rescue guyliner or not, she feels compelled to finish this mission for Emma's sake. Especially as she stands there looking like a sad and frightened child. She's certain Emma is probably screaming inside her head to go but she can't do that to her. She owes her too much. Even if she didn't she truly wants Emma to be happy. 'Since when did I start caring so much about Emma's happiness?'

"Alright then Hades. What did you have in mind?" Regina gives him her best Queen stare.

"Regina wait!" Emma jumps forward and pulls Regina away from him and towards herself.

"No problem ladies talk amongst yourselves..I'll be over here enjoying the wine." Hades keeps his eyes on them as he walks away talking to Rumple.

"What are you doing? Do you want to save him or not?" Regina whispers harshly.

Emma feels so guilty with the weight of that question after witnessing Hook being torn apart and she being powerless to stop it, "Of course I do! But..."

"But what? We are running out of options here."

Emma's mind is raging with contradictions. She's can't get that bloody image out of her mind. Hook is already dead so of course it didn't kill him and as horrible as it was to watch him suffer that way she can now only think of what could have been. Hook is already dead but Regina is alive...'What if they had tried to hurt her?' How could she ever face her son again if she let anything happen to Regina? Emma's eyes well up with unshed tears. She hesitates not sure if she should voice her thoughts, "Not at Your...at our expense." Emma can't stop fidgeting.

"Emma." Regina starts like a chastising mom.

"No! Regina something isn't right. I don't like the way he looks at you...I don't know."

"Oh my God! Really Ms. Swan? Please, he's just the Devil. I can handle myself." Regina frustratedly thinks, 'I hate it when she underestimates me! Doesn't she remember I'm the Evil Queen?'

"That's not what I'm saying. The Raven, Persephone, turned back into bird over there appears to have tried by all means to keep us away from him. Isn't she like his Greek Goddess kidnapped wife or something? Why was she helping us? What if it wasn't about us. What if it was about y..."

"Don't say it Swan! You're giving me the creeps."

"Well good! You should be creeped out. That right there is the King of the Creeps! And he's all over you. Gah."

Regina takes a deep breath. Emma is clearly not thinking straight. This is all too much for her. Regina suspected after the tunnels who Persephone was. And she was curios as to why the obsession with helping them. 'An angry wife seeking revenge for being taken against her will?' That's all Regina had right now And that's what she was going with. She didn't have time for anything else. "So what's your plan?"

"Staying away from him!" Emma shouts.

"I highly doubt his majesty over there will allow that." Rumple comes up behind Regina.

"And what were you two talking about?" Regina eyes him suspiciously.

"I was negotiating."

"Of course you were! Why did we ever think to bring you with us?! What?! Did you trade our souls to eternal damnation for a free ride as dark one for eternity?!"

"Regina calm down I'm already the Dark One for all of eternity."

"Yeah but not The Dark One." Chimes in Emma.

Rumple's sighs loudly feeling exacerbated with the two untrusting women. No one more than he wants to get out of hell already and go home. He knew that running into Hades, the one dark being with greater powers than he, would be a catastrophe. This entire trip he tried desperately to avoid this as he feared this very situation. For as evil, manipulative and terrible as he has been...he knew Hades would make him look like a toddler by comparison. They needed to get away from him as soon as possible.

"He said, he will let Emma go to the pirate now as long as the two of us stay here with him."

"Why?" Regina firmly asks.

"I don't know. Nor do I like it either but we must do whatever necessary to get out of here."

"No. He wants to separate us." Emma is pacing back and forth trying to figure out what to do.

"That may be. But look around dearie, we're in hell. And there is no getting out unless we comply." Rumple looks at Regina knowing that she will realize he is right.

Regina sighs deeply, hating when her former teacher has a point, "I hate to say it but if he lets you talk to Hook then maybe the pirate will know a way out of this." Regina looks hopeful when saying this to Emma.

"I think we should agree." States Gold.

"What if he's lying Gold?" Emma voices what they are all thinking. Regina looks to Rumple who raises his eyebrows with a questioning look.

Regina wants to go home. She wants to see Henry again and she wants to return with his other mother unharmed. She is quickly losing her patience but more so afraid of what may happen if they delay their exit from Tartaurus for much longer. Feeling they have no other choice she makes a decision. Regina quickly turns and walks away; leaving their huddle and marches to Hades.

She again, stands before him, "I agree. But only if you take us all to see Hook. Once we see that Emma is safe with him; only then will Rumple and I agree to spend time with you. And then we leave...Emma, Hook, Rumple and myself."

Emma wants to scream at her. 'God damn it! Why did you do that? Why does she always think it's ok to take matters into her own hands?' It's not lost on Emma that Persephone is quickly opening and closing her beak trying to speak in vain. She knows they've taken a deadly wrong step but before Emma can shout her objections...

Hades rejoices, "Agreed! You see Dark One, you are not the only one who can strike a deal."


	13. Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve

The First of Revelations.

Hades snaps his fingers and the next thing I know we are standing inside a long corridor of dark stones. The stones are bare except for lit torches every few feet and old painted portraits that run down the length of the great hallway.

"What can I say? Sometimes I'm a bit morbid." Hades smiles as he guides them further in.

A couple of his slave women accompany them as well. Three to be exact. Emma presumes they are his slaves; if she were to take any indication from Persephone in the matter who ironically is nowhere to be seen. Emma was dying to have words with her.

"Your pirate is up ahead. Through those doors." He gestures with his hand, adorned in lavish and almost feminine rings, towards two wooden doors that appear only closed by a metal latch.

"Let's go Emma." Regina entwined her arm around Emma and moves forward.

"I'll be waiting. The ladies will fetch you in a moment." Hades is so calm and controlled.

Emma turns her head back and looks at him as Regina and Rumple lead her away. She should be more excited about seeing Killian but she can't shake this feeling of dread that has taken over her. 'This is too easy.'

The slaves open the doors making a loud creaking sound as they walk into a barely lit courtyard. In the distance Emma can see Hook being tended by someone. 'He's alright!' She thinks relieved. He looks up and catches her eyes.

Regina and Rumple are both about to be escorted by the two slaves. "Let us go." They each say.

Emma quickly turns to object and finds Rumple pulling away and walking past her..."Mila?"

Emma turns expressionless, taking a better look at this woman who is 'tending to her Killian.' She looks at Gold who appears as if he's been kicked in the gut and groin at the same time.

"Rumple?" This woman says as she stands up locking eyes with Gold.

The red-haired slave woman reaches for him, "We must go at once. Can't keep the master waiting."

"No! I shan't go anywhere." Rumple says breathlessly.

"As you wish." She retreats joining the blonde slave who has Regina by the elbow.

Emma charges her, "Take your hands off her!" The woman hisses at Emma like an animal.

"Emma stop. Listen to me. Talk to Hook, find Persephone and get us out of here!"

"I am not leaving you alone with him."

"Then you have no deal. The master will not let you take the broken pirate." The blonde slave dances around Emma laughing and giggling as her bare breasts bounce with her movement; seemingly uncaring of her nudity.

Regina looks into Emma with such intensity, "You will find me."

Emma is at a loss for words again. She nods her head unable to do much more with the swelling emotion that fills her chest and lungs. She feels overpowered by her feelings of devotion, fear of loss and other feelings so strong that right now she cannot place. But more than anything she feels trapped and out of control. She wants to stop this but she knows it's useless.

"Go save him. I'll be waiting." Emma's eyes glisten with her pent-up emotion and for a moment she believes she sees the same in Regina's eyes. 'Why is everything always so intense with us?'

Regina turns and walks through the creeping doors with the two devious slaves. Emma takes a deep breath and turns to Hook, Rumple and Mila.

"Emma." Hook can barely stand but he's trying. Mila turns to him after what felt like years of staring at Rumple.

"No darling don't try to stand yet." She tells him.

"I can see nothing has changed." Rumple snidely remarks.

"That's where your wrong Rumple. Emma, please don't be afraid. You can come. I am a friend."

"Aren't you Rumple's ex-wife?"

"That I am too."

Emma takes a good look at Mila. She is stunning. Even though she appears tired and thin her eyes are distinct and her smile is captivating. She can see why these two men fought over her.

"Killian what is going..." Emma is cut off by Rumple.

"I'll tell you what's going on Miss Swan, even in death, in the bowels of hell, the pirate seems to find a way to my ex-wife!" Gold's anger is rising quickly.

"No Crocodile that is not what is going on." Killian stands with the help of Mila.

"Then what is? Because we have risked our lives to come here and rescue you." Emma is feeling like a woman scorned and betrayed. She wants answers now!

"Emma." Hook's eyes soften as he walks towards her. "Love, do you know how long it's been since I've seen you?"

Emma incredulously looks at him, "What three, five days? You couldn't wait a couple of days?!"

"Try forty-nine years."

"What?" Emma's world stops spinning.

"It's been approximately forty-nine years since I asked you to kill me."

Emma immediately starts to cry, "No. No you're mistaken!"

"Emma please." He reaches out for her but she pushes his arm away causing him to lose his balance and fall.

Emma, regretting her actions kneels to help him up. She notices that he is crying too.

"Time is different here in Tartarus. It's also different for the dead. I've been serving a punishment that will soon be over." He looks at Mila. "We both have. Our destinies have been tied together."

"What happens when it's over?" Emma can't wrap her mind around all of this.

"I don't know. But it's better than this."

Mila chimes in, "After all these years of repenting and paying for our sins we get to leave. God help us to some place better."

"They are giving you a pass out of hell?" Rumple asks.

"Not a pass. I've been here almost one hundred and fifty years. I wronged you in so many ways. I hoped that someday I would get the opportunity to apologize for what I did to you."

"So that's what's kept you here." Rumple's eyes are softening. As much anger as he's had towards her a part of him still loves her. He always will.

"Yes but more so what I did to our son." Mila looks down sobbing. "I abandoned him. I can never forgive myself for that nor do I expect you to forgive me."

Gold looks down with the weight of all his guilt, "I left him too."

Mila whispers to him, "I forgive you. I forgave you a long time ago. Rumple I am so very truly sorry I ever hurt you and our family."

"I killed you...I'm sorry I was such a coward." Rumple cries out. Mila reaches forward and embraces her ex-husband. Emma feels like an intruder on a very private moment. After a few minutes they part.

Emma looks at Hook, "Now what?"

"You've got to go. You must get out of here now!"

Emma, heartbroken and bewildered whispers, "Forty-nine years. We never had a chance."

"I know but I never stopped loving you Emma Swan. I am so sorry." He looks at Emma with such turmoil and pain in his eyes.

"So am I." She begins to stand.

"Wait." Mila kneels by them and turns to Emma. "You came here to save him, to take him with you...how?"

He looks at Mila, "I won't abandon you here Mila."

"Killian I love you and I always will but I know how much you loved her. If there is a chance for you to have life again, please take it!"

"No! I can't do that!" Killian stands and walks away from both these women. Here he stands with the two women he has loved, both so caring that one came to hell to save him while the other is willing to live in hell without him so that he may have life. He felt he didn't deserve any of them. "What of the years of punishment? It will all be for not once I die anew."

"I don't know that it will...If you live a good life Killian. Emma, please, would you still save him? Forget me, forget all this. I know he loves you. He told me everything about you. And about how much you loved my son...I will be eternally grateful for that. Take Killian with you; I know you'd make him happy again."

As if all this wasn't enough to deal with, 'That's right...she is Neal's mother. She's Henry's grandmother.' Even as these crazy revelations come into the light, right now Emma could only see her as the woman Killian had loved and still loved. Emma looks at this woman and as much as she believes she should hate her she can't. Here she is after all these years of dwelling in hell with the man she loves, willing to give him up because she loves him. They both love him. Emma selfishly wanted nothing more than to save him from this wretched place but right now Mila is the better woman despite all her past wrongdoings.

"I don't know that..." Hook is interrupted

"Rumple! Emma!"

"Persephone?" She's turned back into herself and is trying to catch her breath.

"Where's Regina?" She asks while looking around the room.

"She's with Hades." Emma is reminded and she feels her gut churn again.

"Oh no. Lole." Persephone turns grey.

"Who?"

"Emma listen to me. I know you have unresolved issues here but you need to go find her. You must find her and leave here at once."

"I agree but.."

"I will stay here with them. You and Rumple need to stay together and find her."

"What does he want with her Persephone?" Emma's wheels are turning, "He never wanted me or Rumple, he wanted her didn't he?!"

"The story is too long and deep and now is not the moment. In time you will understand child but now you need to find her before he takes over."

"Takes over what? Stop being cryptic! Besides you are his wife! Why are you helping us?"

Persephone takes a deep breath, "Because in my first life I was born Persephone, daughter of Demeter and Zeus, taken by Hades to be forced to serve as his Goddess wife. Persephone, also known by some as Kore or Cora."

Her form briefly changes to that of her late nemesis, Cora, and returns back to the Greek Goddess Persephone.

Emma jumps ten feet back. "In my last incarnation, my only human incarnation, I took my ulterior name, Cora."

She walks towards Emma, "Regina was my daughter, I failed her Emma and I need you to save her now. When you return I will explain all. Look into my eyes Savior and see that I speak the truth."

Emma doesn't sense that she is lying, "How will I find her?"

"Use your thoughts. Focus your mind's eye. It will lead you to her."

Emma begins to walk away.

"But beware of your magic Savior. Do not harness it unless you have no choice or it can confuse you and throw you further away into strange dimensions. When you're ready to return take this," she hands Emma a white smooth gem with strange patterns inside that look like a snowy hill. "Say my name and it will bring you here to me."

"I can stay here. You should go with her." Rumple tells Persephone worriedly. His head spinning with the knowledge that she was his Cora. 'What a twisted world.'

"He will sense me. He will sense her too but he doesn't see her as a threat."

Rumple whispers to her, "Is she?"

Persephone half smiles, "Just go."

Emma looks back at Killian knowing that they have unfinished business. She's now filled with a new defeat. She's risked everyone's lives for a man who's love for her became like the dust from an old library book. She turned a page and there he was anew to her, as fresh as seen from a day before. But she was like an old legend to him. She was to him now what Mila had become when he lived and loved Emma; for Mila now was his present and his past. Emma is tormented with the depth of everything now experienced. She wasn't sure what was more painful...watching Killian die in life, watching him die again in hell, or learning he no longer loved her as he had before.

"Emma, focus. Think of Regina." Rumple urges her.

'Regina' she thought. That was the most painful thought of all. The notion that she had put her only friend in such danger. The possibility, that until now had not occurred to her, that she would walk away from hell alone, without Hook...that was painful enough; but it was a pain she had prepared to face. What she had not considered, what she could never face, was walking away without her most beloved friend, Regina.

 _Hey guys! A few months ago when I started writing this fic I decided to brush up on my Greek mythology. I always knew that Cora would be in the story but it wasn't til I realized that Persephone was also known as Kore and Cora that I thought...'I have to make her Cora Now.'. It totally felt like fate! Lol. I hope you are all enjoying. Let me know you're thoughts! Thanks for reading...more to come soon._

 _P.S. Sorry for misspellings and or typo's. I tried to get this chapter out faster. Someone (you know who you are) inspired me with their kind words. Thank you!_


	14. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

The Flames of Time

Regina is led by the two slave women back through the corridor. They each entangle their arms around her as if they were "best girlfriends." Except Regina knows better. She knows they only try to keep her close for fear that she may try something. She can't help but wonder why Hades is so eager to spend time with them. She refuses to acknowledge Emma's persistent discourse claiming Hades only wants her. 'No, he probably only wants the dark one and somehow he thinks I am the road to my former teacher.' Still, even trying to rationalize what his intentions could be doesn't make them all the less threatening. If she were truly honest with herself she would note the seed of fear that's been trying to sprout and make it's way through her mind. A seed that surely Emma planted. But Regina couldn't afford to be honest with herself right now. So few times in her life she has been.

The blonde woman crosses in front of her with a seductive smile, "Close your eyes gorgeous majesty." Regina gives her a puzzled look as she runs her hand over Regina's eyes. 'She smells good. 'How can a servant, in hell none the less, smell so good?' Regina wonders. She also realizes that she recognizes that smell...'Is that Emma's perfume?' But it all goes dark again before she can process anything else.

When she comes to she is in a different room than the great courtyard they visited before. This place appears like a garden with low light. Stones adorn the walls with falling plants and there are luxurious couches with ample places to sit. Regina doesn't feel alert this time` but instead a bit drowsy. Hades stands across the way dressed in a black suit of sorts. What he wears is not of this time. He looks incredibly elegant and is accompanied by a woman. She is a beautiful black woman dressed like the others, also half naked, walking towards her; her silky skin glistening in the candlelight. 'Is anyone here unattractive?' She's slightly taller than Regina when she bends forward to whisper, "He's been expecting you my Queen." She leans in and kisses Regina's cheek as her and the others walk away. Regina doesn't have time to react to a stranger being so intimate for she still feels strange and unsteady on her feet. Hades lifts his right hand and it's as if her feet glide her to him, completely outside of her control.

"I am so happy you have joined me." He smiles at her but with torment in his eyes that betray his calm demeanor.

"Did I ever have the choice?" Regina can barely get these words out but she is trying so desperately to regain her senses. She can vaguely make out music somewhere in the distance; a violin she hears.

Hades looks very serious as he stands there so elegantly.

"I have been burning in the flames of time waiting for you." Hades walks around to face Regina. Studying her, looking upon her as if she were the rarest of diamonds.

Regina feels herself grow dim underneath his gaze. She's never encountered a vampire but she imagines their spells being something like this. She wants to fight. She wishes to run but she feels almost drunk and her feet are glued to the ground. Hades circles around her looking at her so lovingly yet passionately with his blue piercing eyes. She feels the wind move around her as his breath reaches her neck. She feels herself fading. Her eyes are heavy as she certainly is about to swoon. But he catches her! With one arm wrapped around her waist. He looks into her eyes, "My darling how long we have waited." He begins to descend his mouth, starving to kiss her but ever so gentlemanly, "Do not deny what you feel my love."

Regina's mind is swirling. Hades, the King of the dead, God of the damned is about to kiss her and she feels powerless to stop him. He's not Robin. She wants to feel guilty at just laying in his arms but a part of her feels so damn good. 'What the hell is happening? Where's Emma?' Her mind can only hope for Emma to stop this; Regina's normally iron-clad will has completely betrayed her and this terrifies her. She's feeling so many emotions and his lips are drawing closer to hers. 'Why can't I stop him? He's going to kiss me! I want to lean into it.'

"Get your hands off of her!" Emma angrily charges Hades. He puts his hand up and Emma stops frozen in her tracks unable to move her arms nor legs.

"But of course you had to bring him!" He shoots daggers at Emma as he speaks to Regina. Emma looks around but Rumple isn't in there.

He turns his full attention to Emma, "Not even here can I rid my existence of you."

Emma looks at this man completely bewildered but ready to take him out with whatever force she can muster because he hasn't let go of Regina. 'And why is she just letting him?' Emma feels her anger rising as the magic creeps into her hands causing a burst of white light that breaks the shield; throwing Hades off his balance causing him to release Regina. He quickly recovers as he leans forward kissing Regina's hand and tells her , "When you are ready Lole, I will come for you."

With that infuriating statement Emma sends another surge of magic at him but he disappears in a cloud of colorless smoke.

Emma angrily runs to a dazed Regina, "What the hell was that? What did you think you were doing?" As she helps her up off the ground.

Regina is barely registering that he has left them. She's happy Emma came but doesn't like the way she is speaking to her. "I don't know." She holds her head as she feels a nasty throbbing headache starting.

"You don't know? You were about to make out with the king of the damned!" Emma is pacing back and forth and giving her such a disapproving gaze. If Regina didn't know any better she would think Emma was jealous.

"I don't know! Ok?" Regina sits holding her head.

"I was under some sort of spell or something. Before I knew it he was on me rambling about waiting for me or I don't know."

Emma stands still and looks at her. Taking a deep breath and calming down, "Did he hurt you?"

Regina huffs incredulously, "No. He didn't. He was seducing me."

Emma begins pacing back and forth again. 'What the fuck is going on here?! He was seducing her? Who does he think he is? How dare that bastard?!' Emma's mind is going almost as quick as her feet.

"Emma stop pacing! You're making my headache worse!" Regina looks around ignoring Emma's temper tantrum. "Where's Rumple?"

Emma is reminded he is no longer with them, "I don't know. The last I saw him, he was with me, looking for you."

"How did you find me?"

"It doesn't matter. It's time to get back to your mo..." Emma stops herself realizing Regina has yet to learn of Persephone's true identity. "We have to get out of here."

"And find Gold now too." Regina feels herself more awake now. She notices that Emma won't look at her.

"Yeah well I'm sure that coward went back to where Cor...Persephone was."

Regina lifts a questioning eyebrow at Emma.

'Shit...she caught that.' Before Emma can pull out the white stone from her pocket a flash of bright light blinds them. When the lights cease Emma finds herself in the middle of a vibrantly green and grassy meadow. The wind is cool and she feels as if there is sunlight hitting her face but she knows that's impossible. She frantically looks around. "Regina! Regina!" But Regina is gone. The price of using her magic...she must have gotten transported to another realm in Tartarus and now she lost Regina!

Emma sees there are people in the distance over a hilltop so she runs towards them. As she draws closer she sees they are dressed in pastel colors and were laughing and playing.

"Excuse me...but where are we?"

A young man turns to her, "These are the Elysian Fields."

'The Elysian Fields? Emma doesn't remember much about Greek mythology but she does remember something about the Elysian Fields being a good place?

"I'm sorry...Are we still in Tartarus?"

"No...not exactly. This is where you go when you are released from Tartarus." He smiles gently at her slightly bemused with her questions. "Where did you come from?"

Emma ignores him, "How do I get back to Tartarus?"

"Get back? No one goes back to that place. Why would you want to go back?"

Emma sighs heavily when it occurs to her that all she has to do is think of Regina! She closes her eyes and focuses on her. Her anger is now overtaken by her worry. 'What's gonna happen if he finds her before I do? But why would she allow him to get so close?!' With that her anger seeps into her thoughts once more.

"You won't get back that way."

"Why not?!" Emma yells at this poor guy. He steps back, away from her.

"Look I'm sorry. I'm desperate. I came here to save someone who cannot be saved and now my friend is in trouble and I need to find her!"

"What's your name?" He asks her. Emma eyes him suspiciously now wondering if she should even be talking to this guy.

"My name is Anthony. And no not Cleopatra's Anthony." He laughs.

Anthony is thin and tall with kind eyes. He looks like a young Morgan Freeman but talks like a sassy version of Whoopi Goldberg. Even though she hasn't sensed a lie Emma is still weary of volunteering her name.

"Well, girl with no name, I'm sorry about your friend. You must care for her an awful lot if you wanna go back into hell to find her.

Emma's eyes tear up feeling the guilt overtake her. 'If it wasn't for me she wouldn't be here!' She thinks to herself.

As if Anthony can read her mind, "Guilt won't help you find her. Neither will anger. I've been here a long time. Well...not here exactly but hell. I just recently arrived to the Elysian Fields you see...but before I died, many moons ago, I was an empath of sorts. Miss, I can't tell you much except that negative emotions only block your mind from finding solutions.

"Easier said than done."

"I hear ya. And I get you. But if I learned one thing from my wretched life it was that we have all the answers, all the potential to unlock our happiness right in our minds; trapped only by our own sabotaging thoughts because we can't let go of the pain. Honey, you need to take a deep breath and forgive this woman for all that she has wronged you."

"But I already did some time ago."

He takes Emma's hand in his and with his deep brown eyes he looks compassionately at her, "Yet you have guilt. You have pain."

"I just lost the man I love."

"Mhm mhm... it's more than that. That loss is not what is blocking you from finding your friend. You gotta fix this honey or else you may not be able to even go back to life."

"How did you know?"

"Oh girl you reek of mortal!"

Emma allows herself to laugh with him for the first time.

"My name is Emma."

"You see that wasn't so hard. Emma...what a beautiful name."

They take a moment to pause when a cool breeze of air passes through them.

"Ah this is so nice. So many years down there in either hot or cold but never just right. Emma, why don't you sit right here on this pretty grass with me. Let's meditate together. I know this is tough especially because you strike me as the type that doesn't like to wait around. But if you wanna find the solution that will take you to her you're gonna have to clear your mind."

"Ok..sure...lets do this." At this point Emma is willing to try anything. She sits Indian style on the grass next to her new companion, Anthony, and focuses on clearing her mind.


	15. Chapter 14

_Hi guys! I'm very sorry this chapter took so long to post. I've been in and out but now I'm back and I hope to really move the story forward. Thank you again for continuing to follow my story and for your excellent reviews! This is a little chapter. Enjoy!_

Chapter 14

The Elysian Fields

"Emma!" Regina's still squinting her eyes from the bright light that took Emma.

"Fantastic." Regina's defense is sarcasm; always sarcasm because now she's freaking out that Emma has disappeared right in front of her. She needs to find her. She looks around the room and realizes there are no doors present to stop her from leaving. She takes a deep breath and gathers herself. She marches straight out through the back archway only to be returned to the exact same room.

"I know this spell. Ok..." She readies herself to unlock the "repeating room" illusion. Regina closes her eyes and gives it her best shot but nothing happens.

"Great!" It's she now that angrily paces the floor. 'There has to be another way out of this room,' she thinks to herself and she looks up at the ceiling and down at the ground looking for any sign of a trap door or otherwise. She can't find anything. She finally sits down and closes her eyes again reaching, desperately trying to feel the spell around her; hoping she can discover a different approach to break it. But instead of the spell her mind wanders to Emma and how she walked in on her in the arms of Hades. She feels herself blush at the embarrassment of being found in such a vulnerable state. 'What did he do to me?' She gets up and walks around the open room again with her arms on her hips in pensive thought. 'Why was he seducing me?' As self-conscious as she felt when Emma saw her she was grateful to the savior for once more removing her from another bad situation. Hades looked at her with such familiarity, with such love. 'What am I thinking?! That monster couldn't possibly love anyone! Yet, why did I feel so entranced? What kind of spell can do that?' Regina doesn't want to waste another minute on thoughts of Hades and his tricks. She needs to get out of this room and find Emma! It then occurs to her, 'What if he took her? Oh God! What if I was a diversion and he really wants Emma? Yes! That makes more sense...she is the savior. That bastard! I have to stop him!'

Regina gathers all her strength and tries to unravel what blocks her from getting to Emma.

"That won't work majesty." The blonde slave woman slowly walks around her, appearing it seems out of thin air. "You aren't supposed to leave yet. No, not yet."

"I wish to leave now! Do you hear me?" Having lost all her patience Regina charges her and grabs her by the throat squeezing as hard as she can without using her magic. The slave moans in pleasure. Regina immediately lets go and shoves her away.

"I demand to speak to your master at once."

"The master sent me to come and get you." She rubs at her throat where Regina was choking her as she looks at her with a small smile. "The master thinks perhaps you would respond to me better for now."

"What?!" It's only at that moment that Regina realizes just how much this woman looks like Emma. The way her blonde hair curls lightly at the end, the thinness of her sharp mouth and those blue eyes. It almost appears as if her face is transforming before her.

"Emma? No, you're not her." Regina feels dizzy and confused.

"Regina? Hey are you ok?" Regina is kneeling on the ground trying to keep her head from spinning when she sees Emma kneeling right beside her.

"Emma?" 'Could she have found me?' Regina wonders.

"Yes! It's me. What's wrong?" She feels Emma's warm hand on her cheek and her arm wrapped around her. Regina clings to her.

"We have to get out of here! I don't know what's going on."

"Shhhh...It's ok sweetheart. We'll just stay a little longer."

Regina draws away from her as she's shaking her head, "No! No! You're not Emma! It's another trick!" Regina knows Hades has sent his minions to toy with her but she feels herself growing frantic.

"But I am Emma. I look like her, talk like her and I feel just like her. Why don't you touch me majesty and feel how I am her." She takes Regina's hands and presses them to her chest.

Regina pulls away as fast as she can, "No! You are not my Emma!"

The blonde slave descends on her with lightening speed, grabbing her by the throat as she strangles her, "Yes you are right. I am not your Emma. Sleep now Majesty."

Just as Regina feels the life draining from her the slave slowly releases her but she knows she about to pass out anyway. Regina tries to scream but instead let's out a low and desperate cry, "Emma."

* * *

Some time has passed and Emma has been furiously trying to concentrate. She is focused on her breathing when she hears a low and raspy whisper, "Emma."

She quickly opens her eyes, "I heard something! Anthony I think I heard her."

"That's interesting."

"Interesting? Why is that interesting?!"

"Because we in the Elysian Fields usually can't hear those in hell... unless you have a very strong connection with this person...unless..."

"We share a son together. Yes we have that!" Emma interrupts. Anthony stays lost in thought not knowing whether or not he should share what he's thinking.

Emma closes her eyes attempting to communicate with Regina. Trying to picture her as she did before. She knew she heard her call out. But the line has gone dead.

"Nothing! Why isn't this working? It worked in Tartarus!"

"Because this place is different. There is something you don't wanna see blocking your view of her."

"But I heard her say my name!"

"Because she called out to you honey."

Emma closes her eyes in deep frustration.

"I can see this isn't' going to be easy. And it appears time is of the essence. Why don't you try to think of a place instead? It may be easier that way to return to Tartarus and then from there you can try to find your way back to her."

Emma nods her head with a tight expression.

"Do you know where to go?" Anthony asks with a concerned look on his face.

"Her mother is in hell. She's not someone I can trust but she led me to her the first time. I guess I can start there. Wait! The stone!" Emma pulls out The white pebble Cora gave her. She had completely forgotten about it. "I can use this to get back to her!"

Anthony hugs her, "Go. Go now. I will pray for you Emma. That you find all the answers inside of yourself and your true happiness."

"Thank you, Anthony." She tightly grips the white stone in her hand and brings it to her chest. She closes her eyes and whispers, "Cora."


	16. Chapter 15

_I must warn you the story will progress to rating M from here on out. It will be a mix between adult content as well as horror material. Please be advised if you are a minor or do not wish to read this kind of material to refrain now from continuing. Hope you guys like it. :)_

Chapter 15

The Throne Room

Regina is slowly waking up. She wishes she didn't have to open her eyes. She's so very tired but she hears a faint piano playing in the background. 'Bach? No Beethoven,' she thinks. It's beautiful. As she rouses herself the first thing she feels is that her feet are cold and bare. She rubs them together as her hands slide over her thighs. She's no longer wearing her pants or shirt that she came here wearing. This feels like a laced but very thin dress. She can't feel any of her underwear on either. She presses her hand down to turn but she's lying on something hard and cold like a large stone and she feels incredibly weak. Finally bracing herself to open her eyes she does. It's very dark and looking above she can barely see what may be a cave of sorts. There are multiple corridors and passageways adorned with real spider webs and bats. There are creatures everywhere. She wants to sit up but she hasn't the energy. Her mouth is as dry as the desert and the only thing she can reach around her are candles. She knew they were there because she could smell the burning flames. She must sit up and find water. She attempts to roll herself off her icy tomb only to be halted by Hades; who has now sat next to her helping her up. He is offering her a cup with liquid and Regina can't fight it when her body is in need of such a basic necessity.

"There there. Drink." She greedily gulps down the liquid. He's given her wine. She much had preferred water but right now she wouldn't complain.

"I do apologize for the after effects of Gwen's touch."

Regina can't stop drinking, her thirst is insatiable. He pulls the golden goblet away from her and wipes at the dripping red fluid that escapes the corners of her mouth. Her weakness is unwavering; she unable to even keep herself up.

"What have you done to me?"

"It wasn't me darling. Like I said, my servant, became overzealous with her mission. She has been properly reprimanded, I assure you. My sincerest apologizes my Queen. In a few minutes you will be right as rain."

Regina feels her heart racing as her lungs expand, taking in more air than she ever has before. She must be hallucinating as she can feel the cold oxygen particles passing through her nostrils and filling her lungs. Her pupils are dilating and shrinking quickly like an advanced telescope. She feels as a predator focusing it's eyes on its target. Her eyes land on a beautiful Hades. 'My prey' she hatefully thinks to herself.

"What did you just give me?" She speaks to him as if she was spraying him with venom.

"Nothing a woman of your caliber doesn't deserve."

"Hades!?"

"Come. I will show you my glorious wine cellar." He extends his hand out for her to take.

She will not let him terrify her. She will use this altered state he has given her and anything else she can get her hands on to defeat him and get back to Emma so they can go home to their son. Regina doesn't want to follow this monster anywhere but she knows she needs to find a weakness in him. Anything in order to free herself of this situation for she is certain he will not let her go. She hesitantly extends her hand and follows him.

Regina can't see herself and although she feels vulnerable in her white gown Hades looks at her adoringly. She looks ravishing to him with her hair wild. Her beauty highlighted by the soft candlelight.

"Why do hate me so?"

She doesn't respond.

"You know there's a thin line." He smiles charmingly at her as he leads her through the giant space.

There are other souls like the ones she saw before working in this area. This space is different from anything she has seen thus far. The walls are damp and dark with insects crawling about them. There are strange and unpleasant smells emanating from murky waterways that run along the sides of the cavern. It's both unbearably hot and cold depending on where you stand. She looks down her white dress at her bare feet watchful of her step but the insects part like the Red sea when Hades and her walk through. The other souls don't make eye contact with Hades and pull away as he draws near to them. She looks around the room because she can almost sense the slave women in there but she can't see them.

"What is this vile place?"

"Vile?" He fakes insult. "Why this is my lair, my throne room, my favorite place. This my Queen, is where I feel at my most comfortable."

"How pretense has fallen."

"Yes, well, do you and I really need all those smoke and mirrors? Old friends like us should have no need to hide our truths from each other."

"And what truths are those Hades?"

He smiles wickedly at Regina. "My darling, you and I, thee and me, are creatures of the night. We have long venerated that which others believed vile or corrupt. We understand it and even admire it. We don't need to be surrounded by white porcelain ornaments and beautiful green, colorful gardens. You and I appreciate the solemnity and depth that only the night can bring. You, like myself are a sensitive soul. Only creatures like us are worthy of their beauty. The simple-minded, the feeble will never see it's true essence."

"So why the smoke and mirrors to begin with?"

"To show good faith. Because unlike you, they would expect hell to be dark and dreary because they believe those things to be unpleasant. I refuse to be so predictable."

Regina huffs. 'This guy is full of such shit.'

"You and I are different." He tells her.

"You and I? Thee and me? I am nothing like you Hades."

"Are you certain of that Regina? Did you not once, not so long ago, pledge fealty to me?"

"To you? Never! I didn't even know you existed." She mentally strikes herself for biting. Clearly Hades is trying to get a rise out of her.

"No but you embraced evil in order to yield the incredible power that you have did you not?" Regina cringes inwardly every time she is reminded of those days.

"I no longer embrace evil."

"That's too bad. You were so good at it."

A few moments pass and Hades says nothing. Regina finds it strange he dropped that topic so easily.

"What do you want with the Savior?"

"The Savior?" Hades laughs, "Nothing Lole. Nothing at all. It is you I have always wanted. It is you I have been waiting for all this time. It is she, the savior, who has corrupted you. Making you into something you are not. Can't you see that? Lole you were..."

"Who the hell is Lole?"

"I prefer to call you by your first name."

"What?"

"You didn't actually think you've only had one incarnation did you?"

Regina looks at him quizzically.

"Did you think that this was our first meeting?" Hades stops and turns directly in front of her.

"No, my love, we've known each other for a very long time. Lole...Regina. I've been waiting ever so long to hold you in my arms again. You may not remember this now but you once loved me. When you are rid of your human form you will remember that I am your one true love." He pulls her into his arms.

Regina quickly wiggles her way out of his embrace. She's hyperventilating and panicking now. 'Could this be true? Dear God! What is happening? He speaks as if it's truth,' she thinks.

"Hey...calm down. It's ok. Did you think I would ever harm your soul? No, darling. You have nothing to fear; I do admit I never expected you to look this beautiful in your re-incarnated body. You are absolutely ravishing."

Regina realizes she needs to come up with a game plan. Now that she understands she is not a decoy she needs to be ready to fight when Emma comes to get her. The sooner the better she hopes. She doesn't like the familiarity she feels with him. She needs to get back to Henry.

"I know. I know this is a lot for you right now. I'm sorry I am being impatient." Hades takes her hand and gently kisses the inside of it. Regina fights the urge to close her eyes as he does this. 'Why does he affect me so? It's whenever he touches me. His touch has some sort of power. I can't let him touch me!'

"What if I don't want you? Will you force me?"

"No. I have never been able to force you Lole. I wish for you to come to me of your own free will. Realize who you truly are. I want to be your choice. I admit I've created certain distractions to buy us more time. To help you remember who we are. Lole...Regina you never denied me before." He draws her in and runs his hand through her hair. She can't stop him.

"Remember how it felt when we had the world at our feet?" He has now pulled her in, slowly dancing to the music. Regina wishes with all her will that she would pull away. Especially because of how thin the material of her dress is; she can feel her breasts pressed up against his chest. It almost feels as if they were both naked. He sways side to side and she finds her eyes closing on their own. She feels so damn good; a mix between turned on and being soothed at the same time. The longer he holds her the less guilt she feels because she doesn't want to let go.

He gently speaks to her, "When you were Queen I stood by you. It was always me. Rumplestiltskin was nothing. He was lead by me. They all were. Your mother, your father...all of them. They failed you. I know this and for that I will punish them all. Some, I already have. Do you think I would have had them marry you to that disgusting old King?! Never! She took matters into her own hands, your mother."

Regina can't stop a moan from escaping her lips. Hades is telling her everything she would have wanted to hear back when she was still Queen.

I have always known your potential. I have always loved you for who you truly are. I loved the dark in you as much as anything else. Can you tell me if any other person ever has? Has anyone else dared love you entirely for who you are? No! They cower at your gifts, your power. They wanted to make you something you were not... that which brings the weakness out of you. They've all done it. No one better than your savior. I rejoiced with each kill, each act of conquest. I wished your enemies dead more than you could have imagined. I never wanted anything for you but what you deserved."

Hades stops their dance and lovingly gazes into her eyes. Regina continues to feel drawn to him as he pulls her into a barely lit room. Upon closer inspection she sees it is a wine cellar. There are enormous wooden barrels all around them and it smells of fermented grapes and old pine.

She turns to him as he stands there proudly with his white open shirt. She half smiles at him trying to remember the last time someone tried so hard to win her affection. She keeps reminding herself this is only a spell. A dark, romantic daze she is slowly succumbing to with each touch from Hades. She cannot allow herself to give into the darkness nor the longing the air has created. She must find a way out but a part of her wishes to pretend for a little longer. If only to feel that sensation of freedom and power again. To have complete absolution for who she once was. As much as Robin loves her she doubts he would have stuck around if he ever got a real taste of her former cursed self. But she cannot think this way! She has Henry! Henry means more to her than all the power in the world. Henry is her absolution. As difficult as it is to walk the righteous path after everything she's been through she found her way back to it. Because of Henry and because of Emma. She cannot allow herself the easy way out again as tempted as she is right now. She has a life back in Storybrooke. She has Robin. Her mind is betraying her as she thinks that she will never feel this good with him.

'But no, Hades is wrong! I don't belong with him. I can't belong with him. I need to find Emma.'

In her stupor she thinks of Emma's bright white smile. She seldom smiles but when she does it's genuine and Regina can't help but feel as if her soul is lifted just a little when Emma smiles. A common sentiment between friends she assures herself. She begins to feel more alert as her thoughts dwell on Emma as if the very gold of her hair brought forth the warmth of the sun. Their white magic is healing to her. Regina is trying to hold onto that desperately but suddenly, she hears a whimpering sound.

She looks all around trying to locate the painful plea. She takes her eyes up where she finds to her horror that there are people! Dangling by their feet from a hook, striped of all their cloths as they bleed over the wine barrels. There are dozens of them if not hundreds. For a moment she prays they are already dead but too soon she realizes that no, they are alive.


	17. Chapter 16

**_Hello everyone. I'm really sorry it took this long for me to upload this chapter and the ones to come. Truth is I wrote them months ago but I wasn't 100 percent happy with them. I've gone back and forth and felt stuck when I finally decided just to put this out there. Let me know in reviews what you guys think and happy reading. :)_**

 ** _Please review so I know you're still out there and interested._**

Chapter 16

Revelations part 2

The white stone proved it's worth as Emma opens her eyes having arrived back in the room where Persephone, Hook and Mila were waiting for her. As she suspected Gold is also there.

"Where the hell have you been? I needed your help!"

"Swan calm down. My thoughts, my magic...I'm not sure but it transported me back here."

"I really could have used you back there." Emma knows she could have run with Regina had he been there to distract Hades.

"I suppose this room is too loaded with my past. It was difficult to focus." Rumple looks behind him.

"Yeah? Well I did it!" Emma angrily barks back.

"Did you? Where is she?" Rumple asks her. But Emma looks down shamefully at having found and lost Regina.

"Ok enough!" Cora jumps in. She pulls Emma gently by the arm. "What happened?"

Emma explains how she found Regina in a trance-like state, and everything that followed. She told Cora how she heard her when she was still in the Elysian Fields.

"Interesting." Cora looks at her strangely.

"Alright that's it! Enough with the interesting. Enough with the lies. I need to know what the hell is going on if I am to find her. And your daughter or not you better believe I am not leaving here without her Cora!"

"I couldn't agree with you more Savior. Sit down."

Emma doesn't trust Cora but she has no one else she can depend on for help that knows what she's up against.

"Please." Cora insists.

"We don't have a lot of time." Emma urges.

"Which is why I will keep this as short as I can and this time Emma, we are all coming with you. You will need all the help you can get."

Cora begins, "It's difficult to find a place to start. A very long time ago I resided with my parents Demeter and Zeus. I was free to do as I pleased and I enjoyed my life very much as a Goddess. The woman you know today as Regina, my daughter only in this past life, once lived in Ancient Greek times. Her name then was Lole. She was a beautiful girl. Loved by all who knew her; she was admired for her bravery and ability to help others. She was a healer to the townspeople. One day when she was still very young Hades encountered her by accident. I'm not sure why or the context of their first meeting but I do know that he fell in love with her. At first she believed he was just a boy who took a fancy to her. In time she realized he was a god; and not just any god but the ruler of the underworld. Hades never cared she was a mortal for he became obsessed with her and believed he would be allowed to eventually take her with him to Tartarus. Everything was fine until one day Hades realized that his beloved wasn't in love with him. Lole loved another man. Well half man, half god."

"Hercules." Emma interrupts.

"Yes."

"But wasn't Hercules married to Meg-something and had children with her?"

"That came later Emma. Listen to the story so that you may understand. Lole and Hercules were madly in love with each other and as it turns out they were, are soulmates."

Emma doesn't understand why her heart drops and her throat goes dry at that revelation.

"When Hades found out that his half mortal half human nephew had taken the woman he loved he went mad with hatred. He swore that Hercules would never have Lole and that he would accelerate her delivery into Tartarus."

"He decided to kill her?" Rumple chimes in.

"Yes. Despite the fact that Lole never returned his affection nor treated him as anything but a friend he still believed she would someday realize she belonged to him."

"Aphrodite who naturally has a soft spot for true loves and cares for her nephew Hercules decided to take it upon herself to intervene. She convinced Lole to throw herself from a sea-faring cliff so that Aphrodite may take her in death to another realm, untraceable to Hades. She would be re-born when she could once again be with Hercules. "

"She convinced her to commit suicide?!" Emma was appalled.

"Lole was a young and frightened woman. She did the only thing she thought best. She wanted to protect Hercules even if it meant sacrificing her own life. Because of Aphrodite's persuasion and her sacrifice for her true love Hades lost her to the light. Had she not taken these measures Lole would have been taken to Tartarus and been lost forever."

"But why not let them be together in the afterlife? Why not fight while alive? Or why didn't Hercules join her?!"

"They couldn't have fought off Hades anymore than he could be defeated now. Besides, he was mad with jealousy and rage and he would have killed them both and taken her away. As for Hercules, if he had died with her then Hades would have immediately traced his soul to Lole."

"I can't believe that. Hercules let her just commit suicide..what a coward!"

"That's where you're wrong. Hercules only learned of her sacrifice after she had done it. He never knew of their plan. After the deed was done Aphrodite convinced him that dying would only endanger Lole. Therefore, Hercules had to wait. He spent the remainder of that lifetime in so much pain. He was in love with Lole his entire life but he had to keep it secret. He later married Megara, who was a good woman. He loved her well and he loved his children until Hades conspired with Hera and their trickery finally got the best of him. They made him mad causing him to murder his family. I'm sure you are all familiar with the legend.

When Hades realized Lole had killed herself he went to his father, Kronos, for help. He wanted to rage war against Zeus, his brother, because he was Hercules father. He never knew Aphrodite was the master mind who arranged it all. But Kronos became angered by Hades' lust for a mortal woman. He saw it as a weakness. He immediately ordered Hades to take a true goddess for a bride. And that is where I come in. He took me, against my will and against my parent's will."

"Why you?" Emma inquires.

"Because I am the daughter of Zeus and Demeter. Hercules Is my half brother. He wanted to get back at him and Zeus any which way he could. Even though my parents happen to be his siblings and I his niece. But that's beside the point.

"Why are you telling us all of this?" Emma felt the weight of this knowledge. It was baffling and disturbing to her. Sometimes she wished she could return to the world where she was found by the side of the road; with the only task while growing up was trying to survive. Things were so much simpler then.

"Because I know you don't trust me and perhaps if I explain myself you will understand. You see, Hades never loved me. I admit despite my lack of say in the matter I resented him for this. I have lived thousands of years tormented by the shadow of the woman he loved but couldn't have. As a last resource he sent me with a spell to be born again as human, well partially human, in order to give birth to Lole. He sent me with a hidden agenda, unbeknownst to me to turn her evil so that he would assure himself that once dead she would end up here, in Tartarus. I didn't remember this in life. Nor did I realize how much I would love my daughter, Regina.

Emma I am not innocent because I did agree to be reborn in order to give birth to her but I never knew that such evil would be implanted in me to deliver to her."

Emma didn't realize this entire time she had unshed tears in her eyes.

"Why? Why did you do it?"

"He promised me my freedom. And I was so tired of her ghost. But mostly I wanted to be with my mother, Demeter. I am allowed to visit but only during a certain time of the year and under very difficult circumstances. I was selfish. Thousands of years in hell will do that to you. Can you forgive me?"

"Me? It's not my place to forgive you Cora. Past or no past Regina was your daughter. You need to ask her for forgiveness. But first we need to find her."

"Now you understand why I've been so desperate to keep her from him."

"Oh my God. I did this to her." Emma's tears fall freely. "Regina was finally happy and I brought her here."

Hook kneels by her and holds her hand, "You didn't know. You couldn't have."

"I brought her here to save you. I led her right to him Killian!"

"I know love. That's why we are all going to work together to save her and get everyone back to where you belong."

"So all these years that I believed I was influencing you..." Rumple starts.

Cora interrupts, "You were. But there was always a greater plan. Doesn't feel good knowing you were being manipulated all your life does it?"

They begin to make their way out of the room into the empty corridors.

"So Hades learned of the plan after so many years..how? Did he get to Aphrodite?" Emma asks Persephone.

"That part I don't know."

"How were you able to locate her soul to give birth to her?"

"Because she was finally able to rejoin her soulmate. Somehow Hades knew and risked this just to get to her."

Emma feels as if her mind is going to blow up. As crazy as she felt when she first realized she was the offsprings of Snow White and Prince Charming all this talk of past lives being real was giving her a massive headache. Mostly because she couldn't help but wonder who the key players were. She had to ask, "Was Daniel Hercu..?"

"No Emma it was never Daniel." For some reason this didn't bring Emma any peace. 'For if it wasn't Daniel that leaves the thief.' A great sadness overcame her. 'Why?' She wasn't sure but she knew that this trip to Tartarus had caused her more confusion and heartache than she could have ever anticipated.

Cora turns to the group, "Listen to me...Everyone, it is the same as before except Hades will eventually sense me and that's when we'll have to part. We will fight him with all that we have because we need to get the living out of the realm of the dead." Cora turns to Rumple and Emma. "Now think of my daughter."

"What's our plan? He's not gonna let us just waltz right up and take her!" Emma has so many questions.

"The less you know the better. While you were in the Elysian Fields we prepared a plan for this very thing. All everyone needs to do right now is think of Regina."

As they continue to walk through this nothingness that is Tartarus Emma can't help but wonder 'who the hell Hercules is?' 'Could it really be Robin? That idiot!?'

Cora interrupts her train of thought, "Emma I need you especially to think of Regina."

"Of course but why especially me?"

"Because I believe you have a special bond with her."

"Yes..our son. He is our bond." Cora decided now wasn't the time to enlighten Emma.

"Time to get her back." Emma moves forward determined as ever to get her best friend back.


	18. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Saving her

Regina bends over holding her stomach with shear nausea hoping she can vomit what she's already ingested. She doesn't know what is making her more ill, the fact that these people are being drained and tortured alive or the fact that she drank their blood.

"Yes I gave you wine with blood. Big deal! You've taken so many lives and shed so much blood. But you never learned the true pleasure of your spoils my darling."

"I'm going to be sick." Regina leans over as the bile starts to rise.

"Why? Do you not see the energy and vitally it restored you with?"

He runs to her and lifts her upright. "Regina I want you to be who you are. Embrace the dark, the cravings that run through your blood. Do not deny yourself who you really are. For I love all that crawls through you. All the hate, the fury, the passion, the dark and the anger. All of it. Drink with me, laugh with me and love with me and together we shall rule the underworld and you shall be my Queen.

"These people are alive. Alive!"

"Yes well the wine stays fresher that way."

Regina looks upon Hades now completely stripped of his charm. She sees a demon, a monster, an abomination of a creature.

"Oh Lole calm down now. We're not cannibals here. Besides look up." He harshly grabs her face and points it up to the bodies. She tries to look away.

"No, no, no! You don't get to close your eyes. What in the name of the gods have you become?! They have made you so weak!"

Regina can barely stand.

"Look at them!" He yells. "They are the faces of the dozens that betrayed you. Those who didn't heed your command. Do you see now? Do you see how well I love you."

"Let them go!" Regina is fighting with all of her might to stand up to him.

"Why? Did you not enjoy their juices?"

She casts her eyes down again wondering how he has managed to take living people and bring them to Tartarus. "How?"

"I have my ways. Lole, these people cannot be brought back anymore. I'm sorry. But don't think of them as a waste; think of how well they quench our thirst. Who needs ambrosia when you have human blood."

"If you truly love me as you say you do then you will release them."

"No, no darling. You know not what you say. As a matter of fact I intend to add to my collection."

A sense of dread washes over Regina as Hades whispers in her ear, "You see...your Savior shall be savored." He laughs a guttural sick laugh.

"You will never touch her!" The fires of hell rage in Regina as she swears to herself that she will destroy this god of the dead.

"If Emma Swan comes back here and tries to take you from me again or if you decide to leave here with her she will become the sweetest wine of all. And you shall have to watch her for all eternity...in a state of suspended life, naked for all to see, being drained of all her blood."

"I will kill you Hades. I will end you if you lay one finger on her!" Regina's hands light up becoming fire itself. Hades quickly waves his arm, putting out her flame and harshly grabs her by the wrists.

"Yes! That's the fury that turns me on! Why couldn't you put that to better use instead of wasting it on that pathetic excuse for a human?"

Regina feels a burning pain enveloping her wrists. She moans from the pain but continues to fight Hades with all her might of the Evil Queen within her, "You will not harm her! Do you hear me?!"

"Well, that depends on you entirely doesn't it now? As a matter of fact I will make you a deal. Emma Swan for all of these people. I will release each and every one of them for Emma Swan."

"Never! Over my dead body you piece of shit."

"Well then, so be it." Frustrated with not getting the answers he wishes to have from Regina Hades calls out to his slaves, "Ladies!"

Regina is surrounded within the blink of an eye by his three slave women.

"Do what you do best. Accelerate the process so that my Queen may join her King for all of eternity once and for all."

* * *

The group has been walking through the empty corridors for a while now and they have finally come across a hallway leading to a door.

"So other than using our yoda powers what's the plan? Emma always turns to jokes when she's truly terrified of what lies ahead."

"Hades still believes you are in the Elysian Fields."

"How would you know that?" Emma eyes Cora suspiciously.

"Because no one ever returns from there Emma. He used your magic against you to send you there permanently."

"Thanks for the stone then."

"The stone isn't what brought you back."

Both Cora and Emma pause looking at each other. Each knowing how loaded that statement is but none ready nor capable of addressing the elephant in the room at the time.

"Because he believes you are still there I'll have plenty of time to distract him. Actually to be precise Hook, Mila and I will distract him while you and Rumple save my daughter."

"Um...doesn't this sound a little too easy for you?" Emma is desperately trying not to panic.

"Swan it's alright." Hook moves up alongside Emma. "We came up with a decent plan. Just trust us."

"Killian I don't want to hurt anyone else. If this plan will further hinder your escape..."

"It's alright love. Please just let us help you get out of here."

"Just us huh?" Emma can't help the melancholic disappointment in her voice.

Hook looks down and turns to the dark haired woman patiently lagging behind He hates seeing such pain in Emma but he's not about to hurt Mila either. As long as he has been in Tartarus, sweating and painfully laboring away, it is now that he feels truly in hell. For whatever choice he makes he cannot win.

Cora walks briskly by Emma and takes her by the hand, "This is it. Beyond that corridor there is a large cavern...Hade's throne room. You may witness horrors in there but I need you to focus and find her. Once you have her the three of you will imagine the shores of Tartarus where you arrived as you hold the stone. I will meet you there with the others so you may all return to Storybrooke. Do not let his slaves near you. Use your magic if you have no choice. Rumplestiltskin knows what you're up against and he will help you."

"What if Hades finds us?" Emma can't shake the feeling that she won't just be able to walk in there and take Regina away.

"Let me worry about Hades."

Emma begins to walk away.

"Don't fail me savior like I failed her. Save my daughter.


	19. Chapter 18

**Hi everyone! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you for your wonderful reviews! It's awesome and exhilarating to read your comments. Hope you guys are still enjoying my story and please keep letting me know what you think! You guys are awesome! XOXOXO**

 _P.S. A central character will be in a non-consensual compromising situation. If this offends anyone please don't read any further as I do not wish to offend anyone with my storytelling. Thank you!_

Chapter 18

The Wine Celler

The first thing Emma hears as she walks inside are the silky sounds of a violin and a piano. They are playing a classical tune. The music is both beautiful and entrancing and she finds herself drawn to it in a calming manor.

Rumple waves his hand over her and she feels the familiar tingle of magic run through her head with tiny shockwaves that settle in her ears.

"What did you just do?"

"The music. It's meant to distract us. I've created a shield of protection for us."

"I can still hear it." She worriedly tells him.

"Yes but appreciating it and being made into a rag doll by it are two completely different things dearie."

"I'll keep that in mind."

They enter Hade's wine cellar. Unlike Regina when she was first led here, Emma and Rumple are guarded and have all their wits about them. They both stop in shock when they see the dozens of bodies bleeding over the wine barrels.

"Gold?!" Emma feels like a child having the worst possible night terror and Rumplestiltskin is currently the only near father-figure that may provide some comfort; or at the least reassurance.

"Emma we need to keep going."

"But these people..." Emma wants to cry. She wants to scream and run and 'where is Regina?'

Gold turns her around and pulls her to a hidden nook. He rests his hands on her shoulders as if he were about to give her a pep talk. Knowing how Emma grew up because of all his manipulation and scheming he wants to do the right thing now, even though he knows she doesn't trust him. He wouldn't trust himself either but he wants to help her and do what is right. If not for himself then for his son, who loved Emma enough that they conceived his grandchild together. Dark one or not he has to try for Bae.

"I know how horrible this all appears."

"Appears?"

"Please let me finish. I understand what must be passing through your mind. But we need to keep going! We must get to Regina and I must get us all out of here."

Emma looks into Rumple's eyes willing her spirit not to break as she finally asks the one question she's kept from rising, "What if he's already killed her?"

"He can't kill her. He can't kill anyone unless they surrender to him and allow him to willingly take their soul. No doubt I'm sure he has his ways but Regina is a hell of a lot stronger than that! Pun intended."

Emma closes her eyes and sighs deeply deciding she will believe him because she won't be able to take another step if she doesn't. "How can we just leave these people behind? They are alive!"

"We will take this up with Persephone once we are all safe but Emma you must understand this isn't a normal battle of good and evil. This is Hades we are up against. He is the evil."

Emma nods her head in understanding the gravity of the situation. "Let's get Regina and lets get out of here."

"Now listen to me don't look up. Don't look or listen to the bodies. Focus on Regina."

They slowly make their way into the long hallway. Emma is desperately trying to keep her eyes forward or nailed to the ground but she can't help her wondering eyes from sneaking a peek at the dying. Emma has never been a religious person but she can't help but recall one of her foster families. They were Catholics that took her in for a time. They were good people. She remembers falling ill with the flu one day and the lady praying over her and teaching her prayers. As she walks in the dim light surrounded by such horror, with pain and terror looming over her one prayer comes to mind, 'Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.'

"Thy rod and thy staff...thy rod and thy staff...My father's sword!" Emma remembers David giving her his sword before they left the beach. Out of nowhere it appears in her hand.

"What the fuck? I'm not even sure when it disappeared."

"Let's be glad you have it back then."

"Will this be enough?"

"Let's hope so."

With the vote of confidence the sword provided Emma quickly reaches the end of the hall and sees the chains of steel holding the bodies in place. She knows her sword can break them.

Rumple sees what she's planning, "Emma we don't have time. They'll land in the barrels and maybe drown, we can't save them all."

"Then help me. Help me send them to the Elysian Fields." Emma knows Cora informed her that people don't come back from there; but it's definitely better than here. Anywhere is better than here.

"How?"

"I need for all of them to hear me instead of the music."

"I can do that but I don't know that this is going to work." Gold holds his hand over her head without touching her.

Emma closes her eyes and tells them all to think of a man. He is tall and he is kind. He has deep brown eyes and a gentle smile. His name is Anthony. When she is certain she got her message across she quickly turns and cuts through the chains releasing half of the bodies. She runs across the the other side and repeats her actions.

Gold looks in amazement as the bodies once practically lifeless and in pain have disappeared.

Emma smiles and grabs him, "Let's go get her."

* * *

Regina wavers in and out of consciousness. She's somewhat aware of what is taking place but she's having a very difficult time reconciling with her current prison. The agonizing pleasure she feels is nothing short of blissful torture. She struggles to keep her eyes open in vain, if not from the natural reaction of her body being pushed to the brink of climax every few minutes but from her life force, that is slowly being drained from her. She has moments of such wrath in between the slave's ministrations. For how could she have allowed this? How is it that her magic wasn't strong enough, 'isn't strong enough' to fight this?! She knows she started at a deficit when they overpowered her but she feels so guilty to be in her current predicament. She feels ashamed and embarrassed. 'I should have listened to Emma. She was right all along it was me he wanted. And now it may be too late.' The thought of both Emma and her being doomed to hell for all eternity filled her with anxiety. Anxiety only interrupted by a gentle and taunting caress to her nipples. 'Damn it! I need to fight this but it feels so damn good. I must find a way to warn Emma. She must not come for me. Hades will take her. Oh God!' Regina found herself in silent prayers, something she had not done since childhood. She felt that realistically there would be no way out for her; but Emma no, she couldn't allow her to fall victim as well. She simply wouldn't allow anything to happen to her. Henry needed her and Emma had already suffered so much. And then she felt it. A phallus-like sensation stimulating her g-spot to the edge of near bliss. "Oh my God!" She whispered as her upper body fell forward and curled up on itself. 'They are truly evil!' Regina was fighting so hard not to succumb to these fallacious pleasures. She knew they were only working to drain her of life. Torturing her over and over, taking what they needed but never truly allowing her to climax and rest. It was a state of circular pleasure that had no happy ending like the crescendo decrescendo of the violin that played in the background. Regina felt tears stinging her eyes. It was too much. She couldn't take it anymore. But she struggled in vain. It was as if the very air that filled her lungs was slowly abandoning her albeit painlessly. She only knew her life force was being taken because of her magic but the effects were monumental. Never had she felt so physically weak before not even when she was being electrocuted. She wanted to panic but didn't have the strength to do so. She knew that Emma would come for her sooner or later and she felt guilty at the thought filling her with selfish hope. She even felt more guilt at this being the singular thought that moves her to open her eyes and look around the room for her friend. Every time she sees no sign of her she closes her eyes in defeat and subconsciously gives in just a little more to their torture. As the painstakingly slow time passed Regina kept one thought racing anytime she was cognizant enough, 'find someway to warn Emma.' But she had no way to warn her. She couldn't use her magic and her voice felt like nothing short of a whimper. She closed her eyes tightly and tried to will her thoughts as a warning but she couldn't be sure that would work. And as much as the thought of never seeing Henry again destroyed Regina she couldn't understand why the thought of harm reaching Emma finally made her fully surrender to these demons. 'I will no longer fight this,' she pleaded with herself, 'not unless it is to help those I love, my family.' She had been struggling against them for what felt like hours but she had no more energy to fight. Regina may as well have been a vampire's victim being drained of blood. 'I have no more...I am done.'

* * *

Emma and Gold finally make their way into the throne room. Emma feels a shudder envelope her as the cold air hits her face like tiny knives. The place looks like something pulled out of a Freddy Kruger horror movie. There are fire geysers rising from the dirty earth despite the cold she feels. It's very dark but she can see creatures behind dungeon-like bars in the distance wailing at them as they walk about. It's all so filthy and there are cobwebs and bats flying around them. She notices the music has grown louder as they move further in. The worker souls of hell all look at them with fear in their eyes and draw away like Frankenstein's Igor. Emma tries to ignore the crunching sounds of the insects beneath her feet as they walk through a central path. Gold is waving most of them away...at least the snakes. Emma tries to avoid looking at them as her stomach is already doing summer salts and snakes are creatures she has never taken to. Gold looks at her with understanding, keeping the creatures away from himself as well.

Emma feels a nervous cold sweat forming behind her neck. She wonders where Regina could possibly be but as frightened as she is she knows Regina is alive; she can't understand it but Emma can somehow feel it. She tries to reason with herself, 'If Hades wants her he wouldn't kill her and Regina would never let him.' Emma wants to cry out and call her name so Regina can bitch at her saying, "What took you so long?!" She'd instantly know Regina is safe and they can leave this dreadful realm. But Emma is quickly drawn out of her fantasy, for finally, as if in slow motion, being the only bright thing present in this dark and dreary place...Emma sees her.


	20. Chapter 19

**Wow! I'm getting such great feedback from you guys! Thank you so much! Some reviews take a few hours to appear but I've already read them all in my email alerts. Thank you all for your encouraging words. You really motivate me to keep going! Your feedback really means a lot to me! Enjoy friends! Xoxoxo**

Chapter 19

Forfeiting

Regina lies in one corner of the large cavern, she seems propped up but at the same time lying on something covered in silk. She's wearing a dress so thin and transparent that Emma can see the outline of her full breasts with her nipples pressing through. Her hair is tousled in disarray and her thick lips are parted as she heaves. She isn't restrained yet her arms are above her head as her palms open and close around the silky sheets. 'Why is she just lying there writhing around?' Emma can't believe the places her mind goes to at times and suddenly she feels utter guilt at her emerging thoughts, which can't help but point out despite the circumstances and her worry, how beautiful Regina looks.

Emma immediately runs for her when Rumple hastily pulls her back. "Wait."

Emma is fighting him to let her go wondering if he's lost his mind, "Are you crazy? We need to get her and go."

"She's not alone dearie. Look." He points to what looks like nothing to Emma.

"There's no one there. Have you lost your mind Gold?"

"Look again!" As Emma focuses her eyes she notices movement around Regina. The silk blankets seem to rise and fall. Regina's dress appears as if it's being lifted higher and her skin dents at her thighs as if someone were touching her. She moves her neck from side to side as if trying to avoid something but she's moaning as her eyes roll back into her skull. If Emma didn't know any better it looks as if she is experiencing pleasure.

In a flash she sees the perfect outline of a hand underneath her dress squeezing and kneading Regina's breast. Emma sees red! She angrily charges again but Gold still holds her.

"What the fuck is he doing to her?!"

"Emma wait!"

"He is raping her!"

"In a way... yes they are, we need to get them off of her. They are killing her." At Emma's bafflement he further explains. "It's not Hades. It's the three slaves. They are succubi! They are draining her of life as they simultaneously give her pleasure... it's what they do."

Emma feels her face is about to blow off from the heat of her wrath. She makes a move to pull her sword.

"Your sword won't kill them. A succubus can regenerate by taking another's life force making them almost impossible to kill. And anyway they are probably enchanted by Hades. I will create a distraction and draw them to me. You pull Regina off of there."

"What if they take you?"

"I am the dark one Ms. Swan. They can certainly try." For a change Emma is deeply rooting for Rumpletstiltskin. "Give me a few moments. Move in once they've released her. I will meet you after."

Emma impatiently waits as he runs off. Regina's mouth is agape as her chest rises and falls quickly. She feels like a voyeur witnessing Regina being "pleased" but her eyes are glued to her. It's taking every ounce of self restraint she can muster to not run and free her from her sexual prison. Emma feels her heart quicken as she sees in the distance Regina's bare legs part, fighting to come together again. She can't take this any longer. She's running to Regina, sword drawn for battle when she notices a wind pick up as the three women start to manifest their bodies again and are seemingly distracted by something. They climb off of Regina and run in the direction that caught their attention...undoubtedly Rumplestiltskin.

Emma puts away her sword as she comes upon Regina. Upon closer inspection she sees how incredibly pale she looks. Her mouth is dry and she has bruising over her neck and wrists. 'And bite marks? Are those bite marks?' Emma swallows the lump in her throat as she blinks away the tears. She gently reaches for Regina's face as if she were a porcelain doll that she could easily break. At the contact Regina jerks her head back startling Emma. Regina barely whispers a "No" while nodding her head from side to side.

"Regina...hey it's me. Open your eyes please." Emma is still holding her face and trying to reach around her to pull her from this strange platform.

As Emma gathers her cold body she feels Regina's head momentarily fall forward onto Emma's shoulder. Regina has no energy left in her.

"Emma? No!" Regina begins to push her away. Emma doesn't understand why she's being rejected.

"No... shush it's me! It's Emma. I'm here to take you with me." In the struggle Emma falls back onto the floor with Regina crashing down on top of her. Emma manages to turn Regina on her back, face up, as she holds her. 'Great she's completely limp! How am I going to lift her?'

Regina reaches up and puts her hand over Emma's chest, trying to push her away but barely making any pressure, "You have to go. Emma he'll kill you. Please. You have to go now. Leave me!"

"No! Regina I haven't come this far to lose you too. Help me lift you. Put your arms around my neck. Come on... I know you can!"

"No...it's useless. I'm dying. But you have to go. Emma please I won't watch you be drained of blood. He'll put you in the cellar. You have to get home to Henry. To our son." Regina is sobbing now as the day she said her goodbyes, sending Henry and Emma with new memories into the world. Her throat hurts so badly from her racking tears but she can't stop. She's so afraid for Emma right now.

"You are not dying! I will not let you die! I freed the people in the cellar. Come on... Help me." Emma is panting as she props Regina up on her knee ready to carry her away.

Regina is pleading with her, "I won't make it. They took too much."

"How can I save you? What do I need to do? A healing spell!" Emma closes her eyes and imagines her white light enveloping Regina and giving her life again. But when she opens her eyes Regina is still lying there, looking weaker than she's ever seen her.

Regina feels warm for a second as Emma's magic forms a blanket over her shivering body but she quickly realizes it's not working to heal her.

"It won't do. I drank the blood wine. Only drinking it can save me Emma."

"Then I'll get some! You'll drink it!"

"Emma stop. Please, I can't anymore. I won't save my life through an evil deed again. He tricked me. Please tell our son how much I love him."

Incredulous, Emma takes out her sword and uses it to cut the right palm of her hand. She puts her hand over Regina's mouth urging her to drink the blood. "You are not taking anything that isn't being given freely to you. Drink it please."

Regina shakes her head refusing to do so. But Emma urges her and is begging her, "You are not giving up! You are not allowed to die Regina! I do not allow you to die!" Emma realizing Regina has never responded well to orders decides to use the only tactic she has left...unadulterated honesty, "Please. I need you to come home with me. I can't do this without you." Emma feels her own throat ache at the tears that she has been fighting fall freely. Regina Looks up into the pleading sad eyes of the Savior, her best friend and realizes she wants to live. As selfish as it may be she wants to go home with Emma. She wants to take Henry into her arms once more and go on walks with him again. She wants their usual family dinners with him and Emma as they make her laugh over some silly story. She wants to be with her family. She's not ready to give up. Looking into Emma's eyes, feeling so deeply cared for, somehow she knows she has so much to live for.

Regina takes Emma's bloody hand and greedily sucks on it. But after a few seconds she makes a face of displeasure and turns it away.

"That'll never work Savior. Not even the blood wine can save her now although you'll make a tasty addition to it."

"Hades. You fucking son of a bitch! I'll kill you!" Emma has never wanted to destroy anyone as badly as she wishes with all her might she could destroy Hades.

"Tsk, tsk tsk. If only you could." He teases her and smiles widely knowing he has already won.

Emma sees Gold being dragged in by the three succubi with Cora, Killian and Mila in tow.

"Regina!" Cora runs to her daughter and kneels by Regina's other side.

"Mother?" Regina can barely keep her eyes open but she feels hurt at the realization that her mother is in hell.

"I'm here sweetheart. I have always been here watching over you." Her face quickly morphs to that of Persephone then returns to Cora's.

"But?"

"Hush now. You must rest. Don't try to make any sense of this yet."

Emma takes advantage of Cora watching over Regina to rise and approach a mocking Hades.

"Do you really wanna fight me Savior? Do you actually think that you will defeat me? I mean you may be the Savior and all but I am Hades, ruler of the underworld, King of the damned." He laughs. Emma looks down and realizes her father's sword has disappeared again. 'How can this keep happening to me?' She shakes it off knowing nothing can stop her.

"You know for being so powerful you sure blow a lot of smoke up your own ass," As she says this she punches him across the face and and starts to throw her magic at him full blast.

All hell breaks lose...literally. Rumple starts a fight of his own agains the three slaves; Hook and Mila are battling against the hell beasts.

Emma senses her magic wavering against Hades and he hasn't even broken a sweat. She can't do this alone but Gold can barely control the three women and Regina is down for the count. Thoughts of what he's done to Regina enter her mind and she finds renewed strength against him. She screams and heaves with everything she has but Hades is pulling her towards him. Emma feels her heart racing a mile a minute and her stomach churning from all the force she's using. She's having trouble breathing but she knows she can't stop. She cannot give in.

As hard as she gives it Hades ultimately pulls her in and has her by her throat! Emma is dangling in the air, suffocating, unable to detach herself from his hold on her.

"I have been waiting so long for this moment. Your blood mixed with my wine will keep us immortal forever!"

"No! Hades wait!" Regina calls out from the floor.

"Regina what are you doing?" Cora is trying to hold her daughter's weak body as Regina struggles to sit up.

"I will give myself to you willingly Hades! Under one condition."

Emma is mouthing the word 'No' but it is lost on mute lips. Hades drops her to the ground. Emma grabs at her throat desperately seeking oxygen so that she may find her voice.

"I'm listening Lole."

"You must release them. All of them. Gold, my mother, Emma and her pirate all get to go back and I swear to you I will be yours."

Both Emma and Cora shout, "No!" at the same time. But Hades quickly and triumphantly shouts, "Done!" He waves his hand and in the blink of an eye flicks Cora away and straddles Regina. Emma helplessly looks to her horror as he joyfully plunges his hand into Regina's chest and pulls out her beating red heart.


	21. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Regina's farewell

"It's not possible." Cora holds her bruised head as she incredulously stares at the scene that unfolds before her.

The fighting has ceased and the room lies in wait with mouth's agape as Hades rises with his trophy heart beating in his hand.

Emma breathlessly crawls over to Regina and finds herself cradling her closest friend. "Regina no." She whispers as the tears freely fall over Regina's lifeless form.

Hades gives her heart a quick squeeze as it becomes ashes in his hand.

"No!" Emma cries out on all fours hyperventilating over her best friend.

"Yes!" Hades gleefully shouts as he prances about like a man who just won a billion dollars.

A split second later Emma falls back on her ass as she sees Regina's soul split from her body. Regina looks down at Emma as she stands next to her corpse.

Emma pleads with her, "Why?"

Regina cries back, "I had no choice."

"I'm so sorry." Emma can't even look at her. "This is all my..."

Regina's soul bends down, "This is not your fault. I need you to collect yourself and everyone and go now."

Emma continues to stay motionless, crying on the floor.

"For the love of Henry, our son. I beg of you. Get up. Rise and leave this place. Now!"

Hades comes around to put his smug arm around Regina, "You better listen to my Queen. I have no use for any of you here. Get out now while I still let you."

He turns his attention to Regina ignoring the rest of them, "I have waited so long for this." He leans forward and kisses her full on. Emma looks down again feeling the bile burning in her throat as it quickly rises.

Regina pushes him away harshly as he gives her an infuriating look.

"I need to split her heart so she and the pirate may finally go once and for all." She explains.

For a moment nothing happens. Hades side glances Emma and Regina fears her rejection of him has pushed 'this psychopath over the edge.' But thankfully he nods his head in bitter agreement.

"I'd like to take a moment to say goodbye to my mother as well. Surely you have no use for your hell bride now that I am here."

"No...I suppose not." Hades contemplates the room once more as he side steps to let Regina pass. He smiles wickedly at her, " As you wish my Queen."

Regina slowly walks over to Cora, "Mother."

"I failed you once more."

"No this time you had noting to do with it. Please, now that I know who you are go and find your parents. Be free." Regina didn't understand the full extent of her mother's story but she was smart enough to remember the "raping of Persephone" and she put two and two together.

"I can never be free knowing you are here in my place. This was never my intention." Cora cries and reaches for Regina.

"You may find a way yet to save me."

"Regina. I will never stop until I do. I know I don't deserve it but I beg your forgiveness for all that I have wronged you. For all of my failures I could never repent enough nor make it up to you. But know this...I love you. You are more than enough."

"Thank you Mother. I love you." They embrace for a few moments until Hades walks over with a contract.

"Oh Persephone, Persephone." Cora's face changes back to her former self. "My dear Persephone. When I took you... you were a...well you still look like the young bride of twenty-ish don't you... but we both know you're not."

"I hate you Hades with all my..."

"Yes, yes darling I have enjoyed our long matrimony as well. Here is your contract." He pulls out a golden scroll that he opens with a flick of his hand. "And now it is null and void."

Cora desperately turns to Regina, "Regina there's something I must tell you..."

But Hades interrupts again, "Ta ta."

Cora shouts, "No!" But in an instant she disappears.

Regina closes her eyes in sadness and defeat as fresh tears fall down her face. "Mother."

"Mother is gone." Hades taunts her.

Regina takes a moment to gather herself before turning back. "I will only need a few moments if you'll allow me that."

"But of course darling. Of course I would never dream.." But he smiles and doesn't finish his sentence.

Regina turns away from him and walks over to a numb-looking Emma still kneeling by her body. "I'm going to reach into your chest to pull out your heart. You must allow me to."

Regina looks over at the pirate who actually looks sympathetic to her cause for once. Although he stands there holding onto Mila when clearly Emma is the one who is suffering. But she doesn't have time to pay mind to him. Regina turns her attention back to Emma as she takes a hesitant breath and gently probes her right hand into Emma's chest; pulling out her heart without opposition. For a minute she looks down at Emma's heart thinking of how in all her years of holding, controlling, and destroying hearts never before had she held one she wanted to protect so badly. Once having believed this very heart to be so unattainable, making this heart, above all others, so very precious; not because she knew she would never be able to take it without Emma allowing her to but because it belonged to the one person, other than Henry, who really believed in her. The woman who had swept into her town in a fury causing Regina such disdain yet saving her time and again. This woman had become the one person who truly understood her and stood by her even in the worst of times. She held the heart of The Savior...her Savior. She held Emma Swan's heart in her hand. Emma who was beautiful and witty, clumsy and childlike, fierce and innocent all together. Emma's heart... willingly and trustingly given to her to take. Even given the current predicament she felt humbled and honored. This formed a knot in Regina's throat and filled her with an emotion she couldn't quite place. Other than her father, who she loved unspeakably, never had she held a heart so precious. The burden of this left a strong weight in her own chest.

Regina splits it swiftly as she tries to painlessly re-insert the one half into Emma's chest cavity. She takes Emma's hand in her own and gently places the other half of Emma's heart. Regina doesn't know why she feels as if her own heart has been split. She feels as if her soul is breaking. Perhaps because this is it. Emma will give the asshole half her heart and be gone. Regina will never see Henry again nor the idiots she's grown to love as family nor Robin. She realizes this whole time she hadn't given him proper thought. She blames this on the dire situation. With Emma leaving she takes with her Regina's happiness. Regina understands this to be centered in Henry and in thought over the future she would've had with Robin.

Yet she doesn't know why... but she can't help feeling that as much as she wants Emma to be safe back home she'll feel even more empty here without her. "Emma, go! Do what you came here to do and tell my son how much I love him." Her voice cracks betraying the composure she is desperately clinging to. Regina knows Emma won't leave unless she believes the brunette is holding it together and standing tall. They lock eyes as if time itself has ended; each woman unwilling to yield to the next step.

At that Hades walks over, interrupting Regina's farewell, and pulls her away as he holds onto her fiercely. Emma looks to her horror as Regina is taken away; for she can't understand it but in the brief moment when Regina held her heart and even briefer moments when she felt her hand clutching the inside of her chest Emma felt warm and safe. She has never felt safer yet here she is in Tartarus. Perhaps that was Regina's trick, something she acquired as the evil queen to make you feel whole and secure as she took out your heart. But looking into Regina's soulful eyes somehow she knew that wasn't true; but Emma couldn't bring herself to find the real explanation for her feelings. For here she was in hell itself to save Hook yet her deepest and darkest despair was directly tied to having lost Regina. She had come undone at witnessing Regina's demise. This was something Emma could have never prepared for and knew she'd give anything to change.

Emma is drawn from her current nightmare by the succubi who decide to drop off a tattered Gold next to her, who landing with a thud actually looks at her apologetically. She wants to tell him that it's not his fault. It's all her own fault but she has no time to speak. Next, they push a tied Hook and Mila closer to stand by them as well.

Emma closes her eyes knowing she doesn't have much time as she feels the two halves of her beating heart, in her hand and in her chest, starting to fade away. Emma looks at Hook with both despair and hope written all over his eyes. Knowing all too well how torn he's been about leaving Mila. But none of that matters to Emma anymore...not after Regina's sacrifice. She stills her mind that has been racing a 100 miles a second because even though her heart is split in two she's never felt it's message stronger. Suddenly for the first time in her life everything is all too clear.

She turns and whispers to Hook, "I'm sorry." For Emma knows she holds his fate in her hands and has made the choice for everyone including him. She takes one last look at Regina's lifeless body as her eyes rise up to connect with that body's owner. The soul of Regina stands there, anguish written all over her as she looks into Emma's eyes. With a drive as earnest as the conquering wind Emma plunges half of her beating heart into Regina's chest.

Amongst the overwhelming shock the last thing anyone heard were Hades' wailing cries of disbelieving objection.

* * *

 _ **Hey guys! I hope you are enjoying! I'm really sorry for any typo's or misspellings. I'm trying to get the chapters out a little faster so there may be a couple more mistakes from here on out. Thank you for reading, favoriting, following and reviewing! The next chapter is in the works! Don't forget to let me know what you think. :). Xoxo.**_


	22. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

The journey home

Regina finds herself standing on a green hill overlooking a vast blue ocean. The day is gorgeous as a cool sea breeze hits her whole body. A welcome contrast to the warm sun hitting her back. She confidently walks forward past a massive fig tree as she feels the blades of grass sneaking through the exposed portions of her sandals. She decides she might as well take off her sandals as she enjoys feeling the cool grass beneath her. A tall and handsome man, familiar to her and expected, appears in her line of sight at the foot of the hill. He turns around and smiles brightly at her as he embraces her so passionately she is lifted off the ground. This blonde haired man is incredibly strong and agile. They begin to speak in a language she doesn't recognize but she knows inside he comes will terrible news. The beautiful man is troubled and she feels it deep within her.

Regina feels prodigious anguish as he turns away. The next thing she knows the sky is screaming with lightning and thunder, and all has turned to darkness and grey. The wind is howling and the fig tree has gone barren. She frantically searches for the man but she cannot find him. There is someone else with her, urging her, pleading with her. A beautiful woman that doesn't seem to touch the now yellow, dying grass. Before she knows it she is falling from the precipice of her hill but before it's too late she sees him. He found me she realizes! The man's face is blurry with shadows but she knows that it's him as he charges forward to save her only to be stopped by the beautiful woman. Regina hears his cries as she tries to find his eyes all while she plummets towards her ocean bound death. The last thing she sees, as his face up above begins to come out of the shadows is not the man...but instead, staring frantically down at her in his place is Emma.

Regina startles in a jolt, feeling her body rack violently as she's certain she's hit the rocks in the sea!

"Mom!"

"Henry?" Opening her eyes she feels a crushing hug as Henry knocks her back. She surveys her surroundings and finds she's back home; laying on the ground in front of the lake in Storybrook, Maine. She looks passed him to find Snow and Charming fretting over a confused looking Emma. 'Emma!' Regina quickly disregards her strange vision as her thoughts focus on the last thing she remembered before it.

Just a moment ago she stood in Tartarus, watching herself, dead. Standing next to Hades she looked on as Emma held half her heart in her hand. She saw the hesitation in Emma's eyes as they looked at one another. The hesitation worried Regina greatly as she knew Emma was running out of time. She would never forgive herself if Emma found herself trapped forever in hell as she was. But beyond the dubiety Regina could see an emotion in Emma's eyes that was so incredibly intense. Something, that if she wasn't a spirit, surely would have sent chills up her spine. There was a wild passion in Emma's gaze boring into her own. And in a second it was as if Emma's pupils focused in on the deliverance of decision; a mental clarity she could see pouring out from her at once. At that moment Regina's world stopped as she knew that Emma had readily decided to give her heart away. Regina blamed her dreadful suspense and imminent pain on knowing that once the pirate had life again she would be alone in the underworld. But something else kept gnawing at her. Why this moment felt to her like such a train wreck she couldn't comprehend. As painful as this experience was becoming she couldn't turn away from her friend. Suddenly, her best friend, the brave Savior turned to Hook and Regina could only think, 'Here it comes.' The last thing Regina ever suspected was that Emma, meeting her eyes one last time, with all the certainty in the world and without batting an eyelash, plunges her hand into her lifeless corpse. At that very moment everything went white. Soon after, the strange vision came.

Regina unconsciously clutches at her chest now, feeling the strongest heartbeat imaginable. 'I have her...Emma GAVE me her..?!' Regina cannot complete the thought even in her mind as the very thing that is causing her turmoil sits in her chest giving her palpitations.

"Mom are you okay?" Henry worriedly asks as she nods her head in a silent but awestruck yes.

"Are you guys okay?" Henry excitedly shouts back and forth to both his mom's as he squeezes Regina's shoulders and runs to check on Emma.

"Regina." A warm and strong embrace from Robin. "I'm truly sorry about before. I don't know what came over me."

Regina, not capable of focusing on anything now except what she just came from asks, "How long were we gone?"

"How long?" Robin looks as perplexed as Regina feels.

"I mean was it days, weeks...it couldn't have been months? I assume time is different but..."

"No, no wait...days? Regina the three of you were just here. Right now."

When Regina stares at him blankly he continues to explain, "I mean you went off on the boat but as soon as you disappeared you reappeared here. All three of you. You weren't even gone a full five minutes." Robin keeps talking about something related to the mission and Hook but Regina is distracted again.

She looks to see Gold picking himself off the ground and dusting himself off. He's looking between her and the Charmings as if he's about to say something. 'By God she'll kill him right where he stands if he dare open his mouth!' Thankfully he's attention is drawn away. She sees Belle tentatively approaching him. Regina lets out a sigh of relief. She doesn't know what's happening and the last thing she needs is anyone knowing more than she does.

Robin helps her up but she can't help but look straight at Emma again who hasn't stopped gawking at her. Regina, for once, is speechless. She doesn't know what to say or do or how to behave. She's in shock at now having not one but two memories of dying (if the second even was a memory?) but she's even more in shock of what is currently keeping her alive. At the thought of it she's experiencing something she so rarely feels...she's frightened. Fear is becoming a trend for her since her stay at Tartarus but the very thing that wants to frighten her suddenly sends a wave of warmth through her. She wants to teleport away from all of this yet she stands frozen in place. She simply cannot look away from Emma.

Snow runs towards her. "Regina! Are you alright?" Snow looks between her daughter and Regina wondering what ever happened that has them both mute. "You both must have been through so much. Here you were only gone minutes."

"So I heard."

Snow decides to ignore her sarcasm as she already knows it's her self defense. Which seems to only emerge under extremely stressful circumstances. She wonders again what the hell happened. But it couldn't have been anything good when Hook didn't survive the journey. "Why don't we get you guys into Granny's diner for something to eat."

Snow wasn't really asking.

At that Regina blinks away from her and the 'Emma' trance she was under, "Actually I need to go home." She says rather sternly.

"Oh ok. Well...let us know if you need anything." Snow knows better than to push her former step-mother and current friend.

Regina nods her head. Robin moves in to lead her by the arm.

"Robin I think I need to rest. Why don't you come by tomorrow?"

"No, that's absurd. I can stay with you."

"No really." She truly doesn't want to hurt his feelings. "I think it'd be best if I stayed alone tonight."

"Are you certain?" He looks at the woman he loves with concern written all over his face. But the tell tale eyes of Regina let him know everything he needs to know without words.

"Well, I can at least escort you home." He looks confused and injured.

"Mom...you ready to go?" 'Gotta love Henry when he interrupts your adult conversations.'

"That's alright Robin, thank you...I've got Henry. Please just get some rest yourself. I'll see you tomorrow." She smiles lightly to reassure him.

He smiles back and kisses her cheek, "Alright. I'll see you first thing in the morning."

Regina suppresses an eye roll and she's suddenly hyperaware at her annoyance with his persistence. The truth was she didn't care to see him in the morning. Perhaps she was still angry with him from their argument when they left for Tartarus. Perhaps Robin lately had been getting on her nerves at times. Maybe he always had. Why this worried her she didn't know. All couples got on each other's nerves every now and again. But she felt the familiar pang of indifference. Regina suddenly couldn't get away any faster. Because the person she did want to go home with, the person who always irritated her but she could never disregard, was Emma. And right now she needed to create some serious space with her supposed best friend. She 'just needed some time to think' she told herself.

As Regina walks off with Henry, she can't help but look over her shoulder at Emma; who is being guided away by her parents but Emma is also looking over her shoulder for she can't take her eyes off of Regina.


	23. Chapter 22

_I'd like to honor and mention one of my favorite writers of all time, The magnificent and incredible master Edgar Allen Poe who wrote the priceless Tell Tale Heart. In no way am I plagiarizing his title. I am only honoring and paying my respects with my chapter title here._

 _Thank you again for continuing your reviews! Feedback is always extremely welcome and motivating! Thank you again everyone!_

 _XOXO_

Chapter 22

Emma's "tell tale heart."

Emma looks at Regina like she's seeing her for the very first time. She notices the way her full lips part as she's breathing heavily, how she closes her cinnamon eyes and holds back her tears as Henry embraces her. The way her delicate yet strong hands clutch at her chest. How her silky hair caresses her face, falling short of her long and full eyelashes. She's stunning, even sitting, sprawled out on the grass. The way she looks around and smiles at Henry despite her obvious discomfort. 'Always protecting him,' Emma thinks. Regina protects those she loves fiercely.

She embodies passion itself for those she loves and with reckless abandon like a wild animal protecting their young.

Emma feels honored and touched so deeply that she has felt that fierce blanket of protection. Even in hell Regina risked her life to protect Emma. She gave her life for her. 'Regina gave her life for me.' Her greatest flaw is also her greatest virtue. Regina feels deeper than anyone Emma has ever met. Perhaps that's why from the very beginning Emma couldn't help but admire the mayor of Storybrooke. Despite how angry Emma felt and how protective she was of the child she once bore and gave up for adoption she couldn't help but secretly admire Regina. She realizes this now more than ever. She certainly noticed her beauty from the beginning, 'I mean how could anyone not?'

But it is was more than a "hot woman" in a power position. Regina felt passion, albeit rage at the time directed at Emma, but there was something inside her Emma had never encountered. Regina would never give up. There was no relenting with this woman, defeat was not in her vocabulary. Her anger is savage like a bull driving forward onto an enemy; her loyalty unbreakable like the waves roar and heave in the middle of a storm; and her love... Regina loves with ever fiber of her being. Knowing what she's been through, what she became from losing love and how she loves Henry...Emma took a deep breath. Emma sighed aloud to think of what that kind of love directed at her would make her feel. Not that she would ever be the recipient of such attention from Regina. Emma had been loved and had felt passion but it was always fleeting. Nothing ever felt safe nor permanent. Somehow she believed it wouldn't be that way with Regina. And now as if on cue Regina turns her attention to Emma.

'The way she's looking at me...Oh God! The way she's looking at me!' Emma feels her walls crumble around her, the way Regina is looking into her eyes. She feels naked and exposed somehow, vulnerable. She's never felt comfortable in vulnerable nor has she ever so willingly let anyone see it. And even though Regina, like her, is simply sitting across from her on the grass she has completely dismantled her with that look. What's in that look? That loaded, passionate, raw and understanding gentle look. And the worst part is that Emma is loving it. She loves the way it makes her feel. Like she's the only human alive right now. And that makes her feel safer than any person has ever made her feel and this also makes her petrified.

Emma wants to run towards her and far away at the same time. The realization of a thousand dreams hitting her like a dozen houses from Kansas. 'Is this seriously happening?... Regina?... Seriously? All this time...all this time...' Emma's mind is reeling but she can't keep her eyes off her. She feels an overwhelming sensation of simply wanting to reach out right now and hold her. She has the strangest urge to feel the other half of her heart beating soundly in that chest. Her other half. Literally her other half. 'Oh my God!' Realization is dawning on Emma like the sun gives light to the darkness but her thoughts are quickly interrupted by the persistence of Snow and Charming asking if, "she's ok" and going on and on about time.

"Oh Emma...honey...I'm so sorry."

Emma stares blankly at her mother confused.

"You couldn't get him back." Snow looks so sad.

'That's right,' Emma thinks to herself, 'Hook.' As if she didn't have enough on her plate right now without being reminded that she purposefully chose Regina over her "supposed love."

"At least you brought yourself back." Charming hugs her. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

Emma feels sudden guilt at her father declaring such love and devotion to her. Clearly a gene she didn't inherit when she couldn't even be loyal to the man she sought to save. One look at the woman she..well..she..one look at Regina and she didn't hesitate to throw him away. 'Oh God is that what I did? No, even if Regina's life hadn't been on the line, Hook didn't want to be saved. He was already going to be saved, literally, by...I don't know? God? Or the higher power? Or whatever but he wanted to stay with Milah...which is completely understandable given the circumstances.'

'I should have been mad. I'm not even a little bit angry about him and Milah. I couldn't think about them. Regina was in danger. That evil bastard had her and I just wanted to save her. She was all that mattered to me.' If anyone was taking a close look at Emma they would see her pupils dilating as she gawked at Regina. 'She's all that mattered.' Emma thinks to herself. 'So many times...I've chosen to save her, at everyone's expense, at my own expense! How could I not have seen it sooner? I'd give my life for you in a heartbeat.' Emma laughs at her own thoughts. 'Literally.'

"Ma! You guys alright?"

Emma's now lost again on all the times Regina has put her own life on the line to save Emma. The countless times of sacrifice. She wonders if she's right about her own feelings...her current train of thought. She wonders if Regina knows? 'Could she possibly feel the same? Do I even know what I'm talking about?' She finds her voice for Henry. "Yeah kid. I'm alright."

"What happened back there?" Henry looks back and forth between his mothers as Emma doesn't seem to hear him. "It must've been something when you and my mom look like that."

"Huh?" Emma was lost in her own thoughts again as she sees Snow talking to Regina.

"You and mom."

"What about us?" Emma is quickly drawn from her trance. 'What does he know? He can't possibly know anything.'

"I'm not sure. But you both have this faraway look in your eyes. Like you're not even here."

Emma looks at her son feeling shell shocked. It will never cease to amaze her how incredibly insightful and wise her young son was. She struggles to keep her attention on him for long because she notices Robin is trying to lead Regina away. Suddenly, and Emma refuses to admit to herself why, she wants to tear his hands away from Regina and punch him across the face! She has to think fast!

"Henry, why don't you take your mom home. I'm sure she wants to spend some time with you." Emma wasn't asking.

"Sure. We'll catch up with you later."

"And Henry!"

"Yeah?"

"Make sure she's ok... I mean...Lock all the doors and stuff and call me if anything!"

Henry looks back at his biological mother oddly. He's never heard her voice this much concern towards his other mother. Sure he knows they are pretty much best friends and that they always have each other's backs but Emma is usually more 'actions than words.'

'I wonder what happened in Tartarus? They both look scared in a strange sorta way.' He decided to let it rest for now. He'd ask his questions in the morning or try to listen in while the adults are talking. Or...he could do some writing. Henry felt a blush creep his face. Somehow he felt he'd be invading both his mothers' privacy if he did that. There was always his grandfather who looked almost giddy now that Belle seemed to back with him.

He looks at the desperate expression written on his usually "cool" mother's face and he just wants to comfort her. He feels slightly angry at the thought of who may have put that expression on her face. 'Was it Hook? No, he wouldn't hurt her...'

He reassures Emma, "Sure thing Ma."

Snow comes hurriedly to Emma and wraps her arm around her back, "You ready to go honey? You must be starving."

"You know me. I'm always hungry." Emma absentmindedly smiles at her mother. Getting away from here right now seemed like the best idea anyway. Emma needed time to think.

"That's my girl." Snow beams with glee anytime she refers to Emma as her own.

"I invited Regina to Granny's but I think she needs some alone time."

"Um...yeah..ok." Emma could barely sit across the grass with the woman let alone dine in front of her parents with her. This made her freak out yet the idea of being alone with Regina...not so much.

"Emma? Is anything the matter?"

"No mom, sorry it's been a hard trip is all."

"Oh Sweetie I'm sure. Let's get out of here. David!"

She calls David over who had been standing with his hands on his hips, looking into the mist of the vast lake as if he expected something to jump out at them.

Henry looks between his two mothers again. They were both locked into each other's eyes. Their connection was palpable, especially their magic together. But there was an anguish about them; especially Emma. 'Did something happen to mom?' He looks at Regina as he walks towards her. She looked exhausted. Much more than Emma. 'She looks thinner too.'

Right now she's clearly trying to get away from the pine forest. Henry has always wanted his mother to be happy, he just wasn't buying it. The guy was okay but he just didn't match up to his mother. Henry usually pushed his thoughts away because he figured no man would.

"Mom...you ready to go?" 'Whatever with this dude.'

He sees the relief in her eyes and that's all that matters to him. She says her goodbye to Robin but doesn't drift her eyes away from Emma. She's clueless that he noticed. But he sees Emma also looking back at her as she's being led away by his grandparents. For once his mothers' attention is not focused on him but on each other. This has Henry curious. This has Henry curious indeed.


	24. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

Goodnight

Regina insisted on making sandwiches for Henry and herself when they got home, which she allowed, just this once, for him and her to take to their rooms before bedtime. She hated not sitting at the kitchen counter with her son but she knew him better than anyone. On the walk home she could see his curious eyes scrutinizing and worrying about her. Genes or no genes that was a trait he definitely inherited from her. She wasn't about to break down on her teenage son about the horrors experienced in hell. No, for that she had Archie, which she had already texted when she got home and secured an appointment for this week.

Regina wanted to get in her shower and wash away all the filth and rage. But she told herself she wouldn't dwell on it. No, that was left for her therapy session. She couldn't wait to get in her comfortable silky pajamas and lay in her bed so she may go to that place of solace at last and think about Emma. She needed to decipher everything that had taken place. She needed to feel her racing heart, Emma's heart in the quiet of her room with her eyes closed. She knew she had at least that. Her beautiful and impulsive, brilliantly absentminded Emma had done the ultimate deed. She needed to lay down, she needed to press her hands over her heart and allow herself sob in peace.

She was finally making her way to her bedroom after wishing Henry goodnight when he turned around, "You know...Ma told me to protect you."

Regina swiftly turned with a quizzical look on her face.

"She told me to make sure all the doors were locked and stuff." Regina involuntarily looks down and smiles. 'This woman just gave me her heart, what more could she possibly give?'

"And to call her if anything...anyway I thought you should know. Should I be worried about anything?"

Regina is far gone in memories of watching her dead body laying before her. Then catching Emma's determined, piercing blue eyes as her hand immersed her heart deeply into the brunette's chest. This plays like an old faulty reel over and over, again and again.

She tries to blink it away. "No Henry, Emma's just being Emma. Anyway I put a protection spell on the house every night. Like a magic alarm system."

"Cool. Goodnight mom. Let me know if you need anything."

"Don't worry sweetheart, you let me know if you need anything."

Regina ate her sandwich quickly as she removed her dirty clothing and deposited them into her hamper. She got in the shower and felt immediate relief at the warm water rushing down her head to her feet. She knew she probably had bruising in private places where no one should be bruised. But she refused to inspect herself tonight. She willed that instinct away for it would only serve as a sinister reminder. Instead she stood there in the steam motionless and frozen. And she did exactly what she promised herself she wouldn't do in her shower...she started sobbing. The trauma of her experiences in hell came crashing through. She mentally told herself she was fine. She told herself she'd been through much worse. But none the less the tears kept coming so finally she told herself she needed the release. When she was good and tired and practically falling asleep, she lathered well, rinsed off the shampoo and soap, then stepped out. She didn't even bother to use conditioner nor shave her legs. She didn't even bother to use magic for it. She got into her silk pajamas and laid in her soothing bed with wet hair and all. She closed her eyes as she took a deep breath, put her hands over her chest, felt the beating of the most beautiful heart she had ever besought. Her mind, her heart, her vision and self were saturated in Emma. And then when she felt the complete safety and love of it all; the earth-shattering completeness that she terribly wished to dwell in, with all the meaning and implications of it, she fell asleep.

* * *

Emma was laying in bed trying to fall asleep. She couldn't stop her nervous feet from fidgeting nor could she just clear her mind for a second.

Images of Regina being held captive flooded her mind. 'My blood pressure must be through the roof.' She thought.

After eating at the diner and her not saying a word to her parents they headed back to the loft. She showered and didn't even bother to dress. She locked her door and plopped down on her bed over the sheets. It was getting late and she wanted to be at the mansion first thing in the morning to check on Regina and Henry. Emma was tossing and turning and despite her nudity she felt incredible warm. 'Why is it that when you need to sleep the most it becomes the hardest? So frustrating!'

But Emma knew tonight was going to be difficult. After all they just got back from 'fucking Tartarus.' And boy did they experience hell alright.

Emma had a million questions. Some she knew Gold or even Regina could answer but most questions were about Regina so she wasn't sure she dare ask. Emma sat up and deeply sighed. This was never going to work. There's no way she could wait till morning.

'What could be going through Regina's mind? Was she okay? Of course she's not okay you idiot! She was just kidnapped in hell and sexually, mentally, and emotionally tortured only to have her heart ripped out of her and then replaced by mine. Oh God! What if she's angry with me? I mean I gave her half my heart, without her permission no less, and kinda walked away to granny's diner with my parents. What the fuck is wrong with me?'

Emma knew she had done what she does best...run away from the problem. Except this wasn't a problem. At least not to her. This felt like the most incredible thing she'd ever done aside from Henry. But just because she felt this way didn't mean Regina did. Emma was so confused. 'Clearly Robin isn't her true love...can he be? No, he can't be.' She had only asked about Daniel. She never had time to inquire about the thief.

She could not fathom Robin ever being Hercules. 'There's no way!' But then who was it? Did she even know this person?

'Oh God what if it was Robin or someone else and she forced Regina into something she didn't want? I didn't give her a choice, I selfishly gave her my heart.' Emma didn't remember much about english class but that sounded ironic even in her head. But she understood what she meant. 'If Robin is her true love (Emma gags as the thought runs through her mind) and she wants him how is she supposed to explain that half of me is inside of her? Was I wrong?'

Emma quickly got dressed. She had to go over there. She had to talk to Regina, make sure that she and Henry were okay. In the past by now she'd have gotten in her bug and left town; she was a coward anytime she felt any emotion that held a semblance to home. Not that any emotion ever came remotely close to this. 'Oh boy...is that what she feels like to me? Home?'

Her parents were everything Emma would have ever hoped for. Sometimes a bit too much of what a child or adult would hope for. But she felt there was always something missing. She wanted to blame it on the damn tree dump or on trying to get rid of her evil. But when she thought about it... the times she has felt truly complete and at home with her parents were all the events that involved Regina and Henry as well. Not just her son but his other mother. Just being with her parents alone left her with a strange longing. She always figured she was maybe missing Neal still? Or just worried about never finding that right person.

The right person was there all along. Even when poor Hook was doting on her and giving her his all...it only took one dangerous mission for Regina to have Emma abandon all thoughts of him or anybody else for that matter. She kamikaze'd her way into Regina's mission just to make sure she'd be safe. Emma made Regina's happy ending more important than any other task she had undertaken.

'Because...I... wanted to be her happy ending. All along it was me.'

As Emma went down the stairs she thought of how badly she wanted to 'take that bug and run to Boston until things cooled down' and that's exactly why she was going to the mansion instead. She was the Savior damn it! She was going to be brave and instead of spending weeks away to allow things to "settle down" she was going to stay in the heat of the moment and follow her heart. For the second time in her life she knew it was leading her in the right direction. The first time was Henry. And now...'oh boy!'

The minute she stepped outside the freezing cold air hit her face. "Shit! It's gonna be hard staying in the heat of the moment when it's this freakin cold outside."


	25. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

Midnight visitor

Three hours after Regina nodded off to sleep she wakes with a start! She hastily sits up, looking around the room as the beads of sweat pour down her body. She's confused and disoriented; unsure of where she is. Thank God she never turned her table light off (she thinks in relief) as she slowly starts to recognize her surroundings. She tries to slow down her breathing while undoing her top buttons; she's trying to cool down and instinctively reaches to feel her heart rate. 'My heart rate. My heart. Emma!' Reality quickly sets in and as peaceful as she felt falling asleep she can't remember what nightmare troubled her awake. 'It's probably better this way.' She reaches over to her nightstand and takes a sip of water.

She notices her phone is vibrating. 'That's probably what woke me up.'

It's a text message. Her mouth goes dry. It's Emma. "Hey...r u up?"

"Yes. Is everything okay?" She immediately worries at Emma texting her so late.

"Yeah..I just couldn't sleep."

...

A couple of seconds go by with dots indicating that Emma is typing, then they disappear and reappear again. Regina is about to respond.

"Can I come in?"

"You're here?!"

"Yeah sorry, I found myself making my way to...well your front porch...sorry I'll go."

Regina found herself yelling, "No!"

"It's ok. Don't apologize. I'll be right down."

Regina quickly throws her robe on and quietly makes her way down the stairs. She's trying to run her fingers through her still damp hair and tries to briefly catch her reflection in the mirror but she doesn't want to make Emma wait out in the cold. She's usually more put together than this.

When Regina opens the door she feels an array of emotions wash through her: excitement, anticipation, longing, but most of all worry. Emma is standing there looking sheepish and cold.

"How long have you been out there? Come in."

Just as Emma is about to step forward Regina remembers her spell. "Wait." She waves her hand over the door. "Ok come in."

Emma who's hugging herself and wearing that dreary red leather jacket Regina hasn't seen in ages, comes in and just stands there looking at her. 'Looking absolutely gorgeous even cold and fidgeting like that.' Regina mentally chastises herself for these thoughts and tells herself to regain control. 'Why are these thoughts in the forefront of my mind with reckless abandon? Oh gee perhaps because the woman gave you her heart!' Still that didn't mean Emma belonged to her. That didn't mean she could so blatantly think of her like this. Especially now that Emma obviously came over to clear her thoughts and tell her how she would have done the same for any friend.

"I'm glad you took precautions." Emma says pointing at the door.

"Yes well...given the circumstances..." Regina pauses then continues, "You look cold, that jacket can't possibly keep you warm. I'll get you a blanke..."

"No it's ok. I'm warmer now. You're house is always warm." Emma smiles.

They are both just standing there looking at each other like two nervous teenagers on a first date. Emma notices Regina must have gone to bed with wet hair the way it's wavy right now. Emma gets a funny feeling of privilege to see her like this. 'She's so incredibly beautiful. I wonder if she knows how perfect she is?'

Regina suggests, "Why don't we go sit by the fire in the living room?" Regina turns to walk there.

"No...wait! Look I'm sorry I came over this late. I guess I was worried."

"About your heart?" There! Regina said it! She put it out into the universe. But maybe that wasn't such a good idea because Emma looks hurt.

"No. About you and Henry." Emma closes her eyes trying to get the words out. "And yes, I think I have to explain..."

"I know you Emma. You did what you did because you always do what you feel is the right thing. You don't have to explain." 'Her kind and noble savior.' Regina can't help but wonder if right now Emma was deeply regretting her decision. If the brunette was truly honest with herself she didn't want to hear Emma's explanation because she was scared. She was scared Emma had changed her mind and felt she'd been wrong in saving her.

Regina's mind went to a dark place. 'I didn't deserve to be saved.' Even though she's spent all this time trying to redeem herself and although she had truly changed she had done such evil in her past...so many murderous and awful deeds. She knew she merited to be in hell right alongside that monster. It was the least she deserved after all the lives she'd destroyed.

But then she can't help but remind herself how 'sharing hearts wasn't that simple.' How one couldn't just freely give their heart to anyone of their own volition. She knew what everything meant. It was that meaning that brought her world to a pause. Deep seeded emotions and feelings arouse in her like a lotus from the dark mud when she awoke back in Storybrooke. Yes, she very well knew what everything meant but she was certain Emma didn't fully know? Or even allow herself to understand. Yet Emma had chosen Regina over rationale so many times before that she wondered? 'Dear God!' She couldn't help but wonder...

"Although it's not the first time you've put me before yourself." She did it again. Regina can't control herself. She didn't want to probe Emma. She knew that Emma is the type to run away. But part of her is desperately anxious to know the truth and that's the part that's taking over her mouth!

"And you've put yourself before me Gina. So many times I've lost count." Emma barely whispers.

"Is that why you did it? Is that why..." Regina pauses having an extremely difficult time finding her words. "Is that why you gave me your heart?" There is it. The dread and incredible sadness washes over Regina. 'Emma thinks she was paying back a debt.' Regina's eyes well up with unshed tears and she feels a cold chill through her body.

"I...no!"

Regina startles with mouth agape. 'Is there hope here?' She thinks solemnly.

"I mean yes! I don't know!" Emma feels what remains of her once whole heart is about to come out of her mouth with it's racing tempo. She moves forward invading Regina's space taking trembling hands into her own.

"Regina all I know is that when I saw you lying lifeless on that floor in Tartarus I would have given anything to bring you back."

Both women look into each other's eyes with the pent up emotion of a thousand years.

"Why?"

"Regina." Emma pleads looking down not wanting to spell it out. Once she says it. Once it's out there she can't take it back. It'll be real. It'll be the only thing that's ever been real. The one thing she kept to herself, tucked so deeply in her soul she never thought it would see the light of day. The one thing she believed she was not worthy of.

"Emma Swan. You are my best friend, my co-parent, my..." Regina chokes back a sob, "my resilient opponent and my greatest ally. Why did you give me half of your heart?"

At that moment Emma's sky blue eyes darken and drift down to Regina's full lips as she swiftly catches her by surprise with a gentle but passionate kiss. Regina quickly recovers from her amazement at Emma's bold move and her hands rise up to caress Emma's soft, beautiful face. And before she knows it she pulls Emma in fiercely, feeling their salty tears mingling with their pressing lips.

At that moment the women feel an intense surge of euphoria bursting from their contact with a blinding light symmetrically spreading for everyone to see and feel.

Emma pulls back, "Was that?"

Regina nods yes with a tear stained smile and crushes her lips against Emma's once more. She needs to steel one more kiss before Emma has time to think and freak out. This time demanding entrance with her tongue; needing to taste anything she can of Emma's. The blonde complies and gives back as good as she gets, as she feels her back pressed against the stairwell railing. Emma's not sure how they got there for she feels lightheaded in the best of ways. Emma slips her hands through Regina's robe feeling her soft body underneath the silky pajamas and she squeezes Regina's waist and wraps her arms around the brunette's back. Emma pulls her in tightly. 'God!' She wants to rove her hands and explore all of Regina right now but she doesn't want to overstep her boundaries on their first kiss (that has actually turned into The make out session of true love). Emma has a fleeting thought of being romantic for Regina and making everything for her so special. Something she had never cared for before now.

Both women are panting and reeling from the best kiss either has ever experienced. They stop only for air and lean their foreheads against one another as they feel the heat rise between them.

You're not surprised." Emma points out.

"It makes perfect sense. One can only receive the heart of..." Regina hesitates.

"It's ok. I want this. I'm not gonna freak out." Emma had already guessed but she wanted Regina to say it.

"One can only receive the heart of their true love."

"Then why didn't you say anything if you already knew?" Emma smiles at her like a wondering gleeful child. She takes Regina's hand and interlocks their fingers. Their hands making shapes and expressing their timid emotions.

"Denial. Oh not so much my own. But fear of yours more so. I figured it out once I came back to life and when...well, even though you gave me your heart and my body accepted it I wasn't sure if you meant it that way. I'm not sure if I'm making any sense to you but I suppose I needed to know you felt the same...to hear it. Besides I needed time to process everything."

"And did you?"

"Not really. Did you?" They both laugh.

"Sort of. Honestly I thought you'd reject me."

"What...why?" At Emma's statement Regina pulls back to look into her wanting eyes. Knowing all too well Emma felt her whole life the rejection of being abandoned. Regina felt responsible for this and she internally swore, if Emma would allow her, to spend the rest of her life showing her just how wanted she was.

"Because...I don't know. This is...This is..."

'Dare I say it again?' Regina thinks.

'Say it Emma.' Regina pleads with her eyes. Regina still couldn't believe this was happening. She couldn't believe Emma chose her.

"True love." Emma smiles brightly and presses a gentle and timid kiss to Regina's nose. Regina didn't know Emma could be so tender. There was apparently a lot they both didn't know.

"Regina I've never felt this way before, obviously. I convinced myself that you couldn't possibly want this a long time ago."

"I thought you'd run for the hills." Regina states at the same time then realizes Emma said "a long time ago."

"Wait. Did you say a long time ago? How long have you had feelings for me?" The surprises never cease coming from Emma Swan.

Emma decided to be brave. No more holding back. After all they just shared true love's kiss which is something Emma did not believe she would ever have romantically in this life.

"I love you Regina. I have loved you since the moment I laid eyes on you. That's why...in answer to your question. That's why I gave you my heart."

Regina looks at her with elated disbelief even after all they had shared.

"Oh Emma." Regina crashes her lips back onto hers. She feels Emma's heart beat inside her racing in unison with it's other half. Regina pulls back and lovingly looks into blue eyes, "I love you too."

For a moment both are lost in the intensity of all these incredible revelations and feeling such overwhelming love for each other. Regina nor Emma can control the tears that continue to freely flow from so much pent up emotion. Each woman secretly and deeply harboring feelings that were being held at bay, mostly by self-sabotage. Tonight they simply couldn't hold back any longer. Perhaps they should be going slower. Perhaps they've opened up too quickly but neither woman cares anymore. The dam of denial was compromised the moment Emma realized Regina was the only person worthy of her heart and now there was no stopping them.

Regina continues, "I'm sure I always have as well. From the first moment you came into my life I wanted to hate you so desperately. I felt such unrelenting passion whenever you were around. I didn't want to see it. I just didn't know how to reconcile with loving the woman I was meant to hate."

"I didn't make it easy."

"No, I didn't make it easy. You were trying to be civil. Although if I had been civil you would have left Storybrooke and well, none of this would have happened."

They continue to stand there just holding each other; afraid to move because this was something neither woman had ever allowed themselves to do. None realizing just how badly they craved each other's simple touch.

"I wouldn't have left. And we didn't make it easy on each other...And then there were obstacles. Like..."

Regina completes her thought,"Graham...Then Neal..and..."

Emma completes her sentence understanding her hesitancy, "Hook And Robin."

"Oh dear." Regina closes her eyes with regret.

"It's not your fault. It's not our fault. Regina there's something you don't know; when we were in Tartarus your mother said something that made it seem as if we were..."

"Mom!? Ma?!" Henry is at the top of the stairs with a giant grin on his face. The women detangle and Regina quickly wipes at her own eyes.

"Henry how long have you been up there?" He starts to make his way down the stairs.

"Long enough to be totally scarred from watching my moms share true loves kiss."

Both women look down in a deep blush as he rushes the rest of the stairs and crushes them with a monster hug.

"Don't worry I walked away and gave you guys some privacy but I couldn't hold back any longer. And by the way...I knew it! At least I'd hoped for it."

"Ha! Really kid?" Emma beams at him. She looks at Regina seeing the sigh of relief they both share at Henry being happy about them. "We didn't exactly know." She looks at Regina and softens. "Well, we hadn't exactly admitted it to ourselves."

"Yeah well, sometimes these things take time."

"When did my son grow to be so wise?" Regina brushes his hair with her hands like when he was a child.

Suddenly, the front door swings open loudly.

Both women still holding onto each other with Henry quickly turn towards the sound and separate.

'Damn it! I forgot to put the spell back on.' Regina thinks but it was too late.

Standing at the door are Snow and David.

"It was you?!" They look between Emma and Regina absolutely stunned.

 **Hey guys! I hope you are still enjoying the story! Thank you again for your encourgaing and lovely comments. I was deeply fretting over this chapter because I didn't want to rush things or seem out of character for the girls. But all in all I think I've tortured everyone and myself long enough and it was time to get the ball rolling on these ladies. At least in our world they are canon. Please let me know what you think!**

 **Much love!**

 **xoxo**


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